A thin blanket of snow had fallen the previous night, the air chilled pleasantly in the brisk morning. A plume of white emitted out of a dog's mouth who was crouching behind a large fallen tree, aiming a small crossbow carefully over the bark. The trees were dripping onto the snow, making a sizzling sound of melting water, but he was careful not to move.

Not two yards away a doe was treading along leisurely, dipping it's head towards the ground to nip at any grass it saw. The dog clicked the crossbow ready careful not to make a loud sound as the doe rose it's head, stepping near a brown mound of the ground to get to a tree for bark. The hunter aimed for the chest, a thin grin matted on his face in concentration, trigger finger just about to squeeze before something on the ground moved, startling the doe. With a hurried kick, the doe bound off the ground, quick in its escape.

Aetherius cursed silently under his breath, craning his head higher to watch the deer get away. Blast it. Yellow eyes looked back to where she was, eyeing the ground suspiciously, knowing the doe had seen something there. Aeth disarmed the crossbow but kept his hold on it as he rose himself, walking around the tree and closer to the mound. His boots crunched in the snow, drawing nearer until he noticed that from what he thought was dirt was a large brown cloak covering something.

He noticed strands of black hair, sticking into the snow, as though frozen there. Or someone.

The dog came to a kneel beside this person, his curiosity driving him, although in his mind he was already thinking the possibilities of why someone would be lying here, most likely dead. But it was always a strange sight to see.

A hand came nearer as the other held the crossbow, taking hold of the cloak almost frozen by the cold, and pulling it aside to the head of the person.

What he saw caused him to drop the crossbow in shock, body stiffening as he stared down in marvel. This could not be right! It must be...coincidence! There laid a young mouse, white fur matted lightly with dirt and frost, eyes closed almost peacefully with black hair scattered above his head. It couldn't be him, he was older the last time he saw him...this mouse looked not twenty years. But his features looked the same as this man did.

Aeth motioned his heads to place themselves on each side of the mouse's cheeks, feeling the frost melt beneath his warm paws. He then saw a faint white cloud emit from the boy's lips, brows weakly drawing near themselves in strain. The older man moved a thumb to the eyelid on the right and lifted it gently.

He confirmed it, but was not sure whether or not he wanted to.

+++

The first thought that came to Vincent's mind upon awakening was that it was warm. That he was warm, actually. Second thought that came to his mind was that his face felt as though it were burning like the flames of Hell.

His body felt sore, but he was comfortable wherever he was. But something vital shook him awake. Was he feeling?! Ignoring all sensation of his body screaming for him to stay still, Vincent suddenly let out a startled yelp, bounding out from the blankets that covered him and to a stand. His eyes peeled the room blindly as Vincent turned his head this way and that as though he were searching.

"Wh-a--' Hab-en'?!" he yelled, his mouth slurring poorly as though he had forgotten the physical effort of speaking.

Aeth, on the other side of the room directly in front of Vincent, stood staring with a kettle in his hand and a cup in the other. He looked like he had stopped in mid-motion of either walking or setting these two items down. In any case, every trace of thought seemed to have disappeared from his face in a new kind of blank expression.

Vincent finally noticed the man in front of him, returning the stare as his vision settled back, sharpening the appearance of a very familiar person.

"...Aeth...?!" he breathed, motioning back somewhat in pure surprise. He never expected to see him again.

And then Aeth's eyes looked down briefly, thought, then returned Vincent's stare before he straightened his posture, lightly clearing his throat as an expression appeared on his features. Vincent noticed it was finely controlled, forcefully, but Aeth's eyes seemed as though they were looking at the millions of possibilities, wondering deeply to himself something that Vincent could not grasp.

Then Aeth smiled smoothly, precisely, eyes lowering gently in a cool look that made Vincent blink.

"I never thought I'd see so much of you the next time we met." He said, his voice so thick, Vincent could almost feel it.

Vincent continued his stare blankly, repeating the sentence in his mind multiple times before something compelled him to look down and realized he had been stark naked, nothing hiding anything...in front of someone who he had considered an enemy on several occasions.

It was strange how a blush could seem to exceed a hot fever as it crawled up Vincent's face, seeming as though it was burning his very skin. As it reached the tips of his ears, Vincent ran back to where he was laying, a bed made entirely of blankets set on what seemed like a large bench (although in width it could easily fit two or so people). Fumbling, he reached for the top blanket, crouching down as he promptly covered himself, facing the wood of the platform, clutching the ends of the blanket in tight fists against his chest and daring not to move.

He heard a small laugh to his right as Aeth came nearer, the two things out of his hands. "Forgive me. I couldn't help myself." he laughed, bending closer to get a glimpse at Vincent's face. He noticed this action, frowned heavily in his embarrassment before he pulled the blankets in his fists over his eyes, trying to hide his face.

It was one thing having a friend catch you naked, but an enemy?! It was simply humiliating! And of all people, it had to be Aeth! Oh...that alone made Vincent want to hang himself, knowing the cocky bastard. Vincent bit his lip, trying very hard not to cry from his embarrassment along with this overwhelming confusion. He could suddenly do things. What was happening?

Vincent kept as he was, childishly hiding his face with flattened ears, even when he heard Aeth step away briefly. In a minute, the dog returned, this time sitting on the platform next to Vincent as he set something down. Vinnie peeked out from behind the blanket, spotting a steaming mug set in front of him.

"Drink it. I didn't expect you to wake up so early but--" Aeth looked and noticed Vincent's weariness to the drink. "--It's tea." he explained, watching until Vin moved a hand to take the handle, bringing it close to himself still clearly shaken by the past event.

Aeth had made his own, turning his head to look at nothing as he sipped quietly, greeting the silence unfazed.

Then he heard Vincent speak quietly. "...It's hot."

Aeth rose a brow, "Of course it's hot. You can't enjoy it otherwise."

Vincent rose, moving to sit beside Aeth on the wooden planks, still holding the tea untouched in his hands.

They were silent again for a while.

"Are we dead?" Vincent asked.

"I don't suppose...unless I had made some fatal mistake I am unaware of."

"...Oh..."

Vincent rose the mug to his lips, tasting the first thing he had in years.

It tasted sweet...like berries.


++++

"I'm an idiot..." he whispered, hands holding his bare arms tight and legs pressed against his chest under a thick blanket. It was something he had wanted to say to the darker man before he...died. He had the inclination even if it meant the last time he'd see him. All their meetings in the past, Vincent leaving each one feeling like a fool from his decisions, primarily that of leaving. He wanted to stay, wanted to just talk and make a friend...but their roles had always clashed with that. Nothing but abandonment would change that, and Vincent didn't like to leave things unfinished.

But it seemed he was wrong. Everything was out of place. He based his choices brashly and selfishly. Facing his brother had, recollecting back, been entirely based on some form of revenge. Not only for what Judas did, but for what he represented. That evil controlling him just as it did with Vincent. He couldn't stand it any longer, couldn't bare to live with it.

Vincent lowered his head, a hand pressing against his forehead as fingers brushed into his hair.

Was that it? Did he confront Judas not to bring his brother back as he reasoned but to die? Have an accidental suicide? He had left everything behind...Debalora, Zael....Brandon...

He loved them so much.

But Zael was being twisted by a demon. There was no way Vincent could have let that go, he had to save his son! He never knew the outcome, only remembering seeing his brother's true eyes looking at him before he fell out of the building. Red spots in the snow. Purple eyes.

Vincent scowled sadly as blurred memories pieced together. He knew those eyes...but his memory wasn't complete yet. He only had less than two days of awareness...how long will it take to remember?

Looking at Aeth seemed to make his memories come back, remembering the old feelings that went with it.

Focus.

Debalora. She...she was beautiful. Always looked young...because of...magic. White and black fur, like his. Silver hair...She was a cold moon...

Vincent held his head with both hands, eyes shut tight as he tried to remember. He was so tired. His body wanted to give in to the fever burning the inside. Forcing himself to recall made him dizzy. But he had to! He had to remember his wife's face!

Her appearance in his mind was like a canvas with different colors of her appearance blotched onto it. There wasn't a set structure of her features. Her eyes---What were the color of her eyes?! He clutched his teeth in agony. Why couldn't he remember?! Vincent felt his heart tear. He wanted to see his wife's face! If he did...if he did it wouldn't be so lonely.

Frustrated tears were hidden beneath his arms, hating himself dearly. She had been everything to him. She was! Now he couldn't even recall what she looked like! How could he do such a thing?! Why wouldn't his mind obey him? It would try to piece her together, but then it would turn off into a tangent of trivial things. The color of the floor boards and the fireplace keeping the room warm. His sense of touch seemed painfully sensitive, his thoughts focused on his as well as though he could feel the affect of a single stall of fur when it grazed something.

Focus!

He remembered their names, but now...their features...everything seemed as if it were erased from his head. Like a clean slate. Zael was only deep blue eyes. Brandon was a reflection of himself.

There was someone else. Big. Orange. Vincent squinted an eye. There was a feeling of importance here. Responsibility? He shook it away.

Thinking back on Zael and Judas, he realized he could only identify them by who they were to him. He couldn't picture their faces.

Suddenly he heard the door of the cabin open, letting in a stiff and cold breeze. Vincent tensed from the sudden drop in temperature, looking up to see Aeth quickly shutting the door behind him with a parcel in his arm.

"It's the world's death out there!" the dog complained, walking in covered in snow towards the fireplace. Vincent lowered his arms, moving them to hold his legs as he watched Aeth leisurely.

The dog began to unravel the package, his complexion coming back as he warmed up. "Had I been gone for long?"

"Not too long." Vincent answered.

"You were awake the whole time, I suspect?"

"Mostly."

Vincent watched as Aeth handled the clothing he had set out to fetch. He didn't believe the two of them wanted one be naked the entire time. Vinnie grimaced somewhat to himself in thought. Although he thought Aeth somewhat enjoyed wrestling him down to check his waist size. Oh...right...that was why he was tired.

Aeth placed the clothing before Vincent with a pleased look. The mouse removed a hand from under the blankets, picking up a shirt with large sleeves, and in the fire-light, looked like a dark, even blood red. "I had always imagined you in red, it seems." Aeth admitted, glancing towards the black pants that went along with fencer leg-bracings. "You wore so much black back then."

Vincent lowered the shirt to look at the bracings. "Had I? All this looks expensive." he commented, noticing the quality of the leg piece, something he never thought of to purchase for himself.

"A favored merchant was in town." Aeth shrugged off, stepping away back to the fireplace. "Most are a filthy lot, coming from the slums of Galon I met you at." he said, rubbing his hands near the flame.

"I don't remember."

Aeth paused, turning a glance towards the mouse who lowered the shirt in a distant stare. The way he said it sounded as though he were admitting something. "You don't remember Galon?" he repeated carefully.

Vincent shook his head lightly, "I don't...remember a lot of things."

"Do you remember us?" Aeth asked after a pause.

"Only what I felt at the time..." Vinnie eyed Aeth, "I know we were enemies...but--" his gaze lowered, unsure.

"But." Aeth repeated, straightening his back as he faced forward, examining his hands as he said the word almost in disappointment.

Vincent caught on, taking defense. "It's not like I wanted to be!" he retaliated, fingers clutching the shirt.

Gold eyes stared through him as Aeth turned his head gently, the usual smirk clean off his features, "Is that enough to make you trust me?"

His lips pressed thin as Vincent heard the seriousness of the tone. Could he trust Aeth? Knowing who they were in the past? His fever was running. Tired again. "You--You never did something for no reason." he strained, saying this as he remembered.

Aeth rose an interested brow, "Haven't I?" he asked.

Vincent looked down at the clothes. As memories and thoughts settled in, the clothes became more of a deal maker than charity. It began to upset him. "I don't want to believe that."

"Then simply don't." Aeth had said, turning away to walk towards the other side of the room where his own bed was set. A few minutes of silence passed before he finally settled himself down on top of the blankets, arms drawn back to support his head. He stared at the ceiling.

A few more minutes passed before he heard a quiet voice.

"Are you going to hurt me?"

Aeth thought about the question, hard, as he glared at the ceiling.

"I don't want to." he answered, finding some connection of the same thing Vincent had said. The trust between them was bare, he understood this and couldn't be so sure. If he had to, he would harm Vincent. It was only that he didn't prefer it to get to that point.

He heard rustling, taking the time to close his eyes after a long days journey.

Vincent pulled down the red shirt, keeping hold of the hem as he pulled it to his waist, looking at it. It fit perfectly.

"...Thank you."

"Think nothing of it. Now I won't think of black when recalling you."

The cuffs of the sleeves were loose just before it met Vincent's thumb, the dark red color fitting with his white fur.

He liked it.


++++

As opposed to how Vincent felt in his few waking hours in a sense of refreshment, his body had suddenly turned on him and given into a fever. The following days were spent curled in layers of blankets for warmth. Aeth had done what he could but it soon came to a waiting game where Vincent's body would determine the outcome. He didn't know how long Vincent had been lying in the snow with just a cloak covering him. Vincent's body was so stiff when he carried him back to the cabin, he would have thought the mouse had just as easily frozen over.

Aeth sat across the small cabin on his bed watching the cluster of blankets quiver, listening to the shivered pants from the man underneath. Vincent's forehead was hot the last time he had checked. It's been like this for two days. A concerned brow wrinkled as he stared at Vincent. He needed medicine, but he was against leaving Vincent here the way he was. The town nearest here was having trouble with soldiers passing by...Vincent's condition was only going to worsen if he didn't do anything...waiting wasn't an option anymore. Aeth stood coming carefully up to Vincent until he could reach a hand under the blanket, pulling it aside to reveal a strained face beaded with sweat, the mouse's eyes shut tightly. He placed his hand over Vinnie's forehead, feeling the heat burn his palm, watching as Vinnie gave no reaction to Aeth.

Settling on his final decision, Aeth rose himself from Vincent, set a few logs into the fire and took his traveling cloak from a hook. After another look back he left the cabin and into the snow.

----

Vincent woke up feeling cold, eyes straining themselves to open just slightly to peer out. He saw the cabin was dark with only the fireplace crackling the remaining wood, a faint orange glow lighting half of the room.

"...Aeth?" he called weakly to the air, lifting his eyes to look around. Before he could turn his head over his right shoulder, Vincent felt a hand press against his head as though checking his temperature. At first he thought it was Aeth, but something was different, sending a chill down his spine and causing him to draw away from it, eyes searching for the unknown person. What his eyes set upon was a cloaked man, hand held in the air as though in contemplation.

"Who are you?" Vinnie demanded, pushing his hands against the bed to sit himself up, but barely managed this, his body fighting against movement. But he kept a glare on this stranger.

"Calm yourself..." the man whispered strangely, causing Vincent to quirk a brow curiously. "I am only here to ... check on you." he said after a pause for the right words. Vincent didn't seem to like it.

"That doesn't answer anything!" he fought, moving himself away from the man as his eyes searched around the cabin. Where was Aeth?

"Then I shall inform you." The man continued to whisper, pulling his hood back over his head to reveal an older man. Vincent paused, glaring at the man's face with a hint of familiarity flashing through his eyes. "I am Noiret. I know your memory has not returned as well, but the time has come for you to fulfill your purpose."

Vincent's back was pressed against the wall as he looked up to Noiret, a strange feeling settling within him. "...Purpose?" he repeated slowly.

"You were told the moment you opened your eyes."

"...The...Eye of Michael."

"Yes. Do you remember?"

"They wanted me to destroy it..."

"Good. Now we--"

"Brandon."

Noiret paused to Vincent's sudden interruption, looking down at the mouse whose eyes were set onto his. It was unsettling.

"I remember...That was my son's name. I thought of that when I woke up. I even...for a moment I saw his face. I recognize that cloak. It was the one I was found in. You...you people did something to me. I was...I--" Vincent stopped, his gaze lowering as a hand gripped the blankets. Was it wrong to say that he was dead? That couldn't be true! How else was he here? He had been thinking of it...but nothing made sense to him.

A long silence passed before Noiret spoke again in that whisper of his. "You were dead, Vincent Valerik." he said straight forwardly. "But in current circumstances, we had no choice but to--"

"You brought me back to life?!"

"In a way. The Givers had used your son as a...portal." Noiret frowned, his eyes glancing away from Vincent. "That may explain why you had thought of him."

Vincent, as opposed to any rational thought, began laughing. At first it was a nervous one before it grew. There was no way he could believe all this. But Noiret was truly unsettled by this strange reaction.

"This is the truth. There is nothing to find amusing about it! The Ministry is at war with Faholgal and you are the key in deciding the fate of thousands! Bringing you back is the only way."

Vincent stopped laughing, gazing up to Noiret with a stern gaze. "And what of my son?"

Noiret frowned, first gazing down at Vincent before he turned his head as though unable to look at him any longer, withholding an answer they both have come to understand.

"...He's dead..." Noiret heard Vincent whisper quietly. He answered by lowering his head.

"Then...how--?"

"...Although it looks like you, that body was not originally yours..." Noiret said slowly.

Vinnie's eyes widened with lips parting in shock, allowing the knowledge sink within him. Just then, the cabin door swung open, causing Noiret to turn around quickly. There Aeth stood at the doorway, staring at the scene before him. Vincent was backed against the wall out of bed with a disturbed expression on his face, looking at his hands while Noiret's was filled with surprise and fear.

The parcel he was carrying in his right hand quickly dropped to the ground forgotten as Aeth grit his teeth tightly together, appearing before Noiret with an expression of sheer contempt as the dog gripped the older man by the throat. Suddenly Noiret found himself in front of Aeth being pushed outside, feet stumbling underneath to keep up with Aeth's long strides.

Aeth shut the door behind him, throwing Noiret down to the ground where the older man fell on his shoulder in the snow. As he tried picking himself up, Noiret heard the sound of a blade unsheathing.

"What were you doing in there?" Aeth sneered, standing over Noiret with an intent to kill.

Noiret crawled in the snow, trying to move away from Aeth as he saw the gaze those yellow eyes held. They were those of a true killer. "P-Please! I meant no harm. I was only--"

A sneer formed along Aeth's maw to the man's pleas, finding it revolting. He suddenly no longer wished to know anything about the man. The dagger he held was aimed, thrusting down towards Noiret.

Just before the dagger was thrust down, Noiret extended his hand to it, a rush of wind pulsing out from his palm. The dagger's point stopped just before his hand, holding stiffly even with Aeth's own pressures against it. The dog rose a brow.

"Magic? Well this makes matters more interesting, doesn't it?" Aeth commented, letting go of the dagger, leaving it hovering in the air before Noiret's palm. Instead, he began a slow and steady pace around Noiret, who was still lying on the ground, gazing down on him like fresh prey.

"I meant no harm." Noiret repeated, carefully watching Aeth circle around him with uneasy eyes.

"You were trespassing on my territory. Any fool would know what happens if you're caught." Aeth replied, stopping before Noiret suddenly with a gentle smirk. "I take it you are not from around here."

Noiret's brow creased together as he stared up to Aeth. The dagger hovering in the air could have just as easily turned, took aim and shot towards the dog. However...it was not in the best of his interests to do so. "I know who you are." he answered, his voice becoming more uneasy. "Had I known you were residing here, I would not have dared come inside."

"Oh?" Aeth tilted his head gently, "So you know what will happen if you move that dagger?"

The older man frowned, his eyes shifting towards the dagger in uncertainty.

"Why were you with him?"

Noiret's gaze lifted back to Aeth, "He had killed my brothers when we brought him back. He was crazed and unstable. It is best if you leave him with me." He watched as Aeth's expression became stoic, eyes set on him thoughtfully. Noiret's hand twitched. "He will complete his purpose of destroying the Ministry and ending this war--"

He took that moment to force the dagger to react with another pulse in the air, the point hastily turning to face Aeth and thrust towards him. Just before his hand could lower, Noiret's eyes widened as he felt a stinging pain in his chest. What he saw amazed him. Aeth had caught the dagger just before it could reach his face with two fingers, having used his other hand to throw another hidden one into Noiret's chest the same moment Noiret had used the magic.

His back fell heavily against the snow, a blood soaked gurgle falling down the side of his lips. The dagger had struck the side of his heart with precision, making it a quick death.

Aeth placed the dagger he held back into his belt as he watched Noiret's still body. He couldn't have cared less for the man's 'brothers' or the war. Any other man would have paused to consider it and Noiret's little trick would have worked on them. He took hold of Noiret's collar, dragging the man away from the cabin and into the woods. Perhaps some animals will find and take a picking to his body. Aeth had always preferred Nature taking it's course in that manner.

-----

After making sure Noiret had been left far away, Aeth returned to the cabin, his thoughts drifting on what that man had said of bringing Vincent back to life. It was strange to hear, even after seeing the proof. There was no other way it could be explained how Vincent looked so much younger than the last time he had seen him...

Aeth opened the door of the cabin and instead of an unexpected intruder he found Vincent rummaging through a cabinet near the floor, down on his knees tossing items aside in a search. He didn't even seem to pay any attention to Aeth as the dog closed the door behind him, bringing himself to Vinnie.

He saw the mouse grit his teeth in frustration, throwing something away angrily as he straightened up, finished with the cabinet's contents for now. After Aeth had left with Noiret, the thought of his body being...he wanted proof...he couldn't--

As Aeth stopped just behind him, Vincent's form hunched over, hands pressing against the floor as his features strained to keep control over himself.

"He...he told me that I was...That this wasn't my--" Vinnie tried to explain, a hand moving to motion towards his chest as he tried finding the words, his voice shaken. His son's body...he was in Brandon's body. Using it. Brandon was dead because--

His body quivered as he brought his hands to cup the sides of his head, eyes squinting from the heat that was building in them. This was too much. He never would have wanted this to happen! His son...his little boy...

Vincent found himself nearly losing control of himself, his hands wouldn't stop shaking and his eyes were hot. He didn't want to be like this in front of Aeth. He didn't want Aeth to see him like this. Before Aeth could reach out to Vincent as he was about to, the mouse fumbled to a stand, being sure to hide his face away as he passed Aeth and headed towards the door. In reaction, Aeth reached out and took hold of Vincent's left wrist, holding him back from leaving.

"Vincent." he called after a moment as he watched the back of the mouse's head tucked low, hiding his face from him.

"Please. I can't--I can't be here." Vincent struggled to say. It was coming. He couldn't hold it back any longer and Aeth shouldn't see him like this. No one should.

Aeth's grip only held tighter against Vinnie's struggles, narrowing his eyes as he watched him. He had no idea what he was doing. Why would he even bother keeping Vincent back? But there was this...knowing that if Vincent left that it would be the end of whatever they had now. And...he was hurt. Vincent clearly did not want to show this side of him...was it pride? Although it was understandable. He had never shown any emotion towards Vincent even in the past. It could be selfish to want something he had not given in return. The simple answer would be that Aeth had never...had this. He had never encountered this with anyone else.

Vincent had been the only one to ask him why he behaved the way he did. It was as though Vincent could not believe Aeth didn't care.

"Don't leave." Aeth heard himself say. Vincent gritted his teeth, finally turning his head around to glare back at him.

"Why shouldn't I?!" he snapped, irritated how he was being kept back for so long.

Aeth paused, looking down with a quiet gaze as he examined the face of the younger man he knew in the past and had found much amusement of making him angry on many occasions if only for a little laugh after every meeting they had. A foolish boy who kept coming back for a fight only to get beaten promptly afterward. Not after trying to get Aeth to open up to him, admitting to thoughts or devious plans he may have had, wanting to know the man who could defeat him so easily. But that boy's visits have begun to stop and Aeth had often caught himself gazing at an entrance expectantly, recollecting back to easier times.

"I missed you." He said quietly, realizing those words had been held within him for a very long time. His gaze had softened just gently as he stared at Vincent, his old enemy, his old friend, and saw the place where he had been buried.

Vincent stared up to Aeth, shocked by the simple words said to him by the man he couldn't have ever imagined caught dead saying. It was what he had always wanted to hear every time he had met with Aeth in those days, constantly asking, so fascinated by him, wanting to know what Aeth was thinking. Here it was. The man opened up and he had to die and come back to hear it.

He couldn't decide whether to be happy about it or go back to his previous thoughts of Brandon and coming back. The tears came anyway and Vincent no longer cared. It was a strong sense of relief to cry over it all and in some sense, he had to do it. It wasn't something he could have kept inside.

Guiding Vincent by the wrist, Aeth brought them back to sit on the wooden bench with thrown blankets on, a poor excuse of a bed. He knew that Vincent was simply crying with little emotion behind it as he would have had before, trying to keep himself quiet save for a few shaken breaths. Aeth still had his arm over Vincent's shoulders, keeping it there either to comfort or to make sure the mouse wasn't going anywhere without his consent. They leaned their backs against the wall, although Vincent's head was bowed gently and Aeth leaned his back, staring tiredly out at nothing simply listening to the one beside him.

Later, as Vinnie calmed down, Aeth retrieved a bottle of gin for a long drink of drowning away their embarrassment. Aeth was actually determined of drinking the whole thing himself at first, but Vincent had promptly taken the bottle for a few swallows.

They sat back to back, leaning against one another with their legs either dangling over the edge or on top of the bench. Aeth lifted the bottle to his lips a bit slower than usual, the bottle diminishing halfway during the night. His eyes were a bit distant, wondering whether he was actually swaying or if that was the drunk feeling in his head. After his drink, he mindlessly passed the bottle back towards Vincent, who took the neck after a moment unsteadily. Aeth would be considered more composed as opposed to Vincent's state.

Vinnie lowered the bottle from his lips, "So how long was I gone?"

"3 years?" Aeth answered a little loosely for his taste...if he were sober.

"Shit." Vincent exclaimed, surprised by the amount of time, "Kinda nice to know people want me back. Doesn't seem very long."

"It sounds shorter than it felt."

"Funniest thing is I don't even remember what it was like, right? More like I was asleep the whole time but didn't dream of anything." Vincent slurred, turning himself with a sway, handing the bottle to Aeth.

"That sounds...a little pleasant." Aeth muttered, glancing at the bottle.

"Rude awakening. But that's fine!" Vincent grinned as he brought himself around, hugging Aeth around the neck from behind. "'cause you're my be-est friend!" he laughed, never thinking he was drunk out of his mind. He would have been surprised...but then Brandon must have not drunk very much, if at all before.

Aeth drank more, not caring about Vincent's actions, only troubled by keeping balance at first. He chuckled at what Vincent said. "You're so drunk."

Vincent giggled happily behind him, leaning his head against Aeth's back as though setting himself to spend the rest of the night there. Aeth heard him mutter something incoherently before he stopped swaying around. He tried glancing back before he finished the rest of the gin.

Aeth woke up on the floor, one leg up on the bench and Vincent laying face down over his stomach snoring quietly. He suddenly remembered that old man from before and wondered whether he should check on his body. How did Vincent end up there? He went back to sleep.


++++

A party of five soldiers tread on horseback along a thin road leading up a hill from the town. Their uniforms were that of the Swords of Chaos and the town people did well of informing them of anything they knew. The better lead in their search was an old doctor who mentioned a man who owned a cabin near the top of the hill was getting medicine clearly not for himself. They had searched for a week near this area of Tooele as Thomas had indicated in his report to Lord Zael. They did not have the option of coming back to the mansion empty-handed.

After a slow pace up the snow covered hill, they soon spotted the cabin, the chimney emitting gray smoke into the air. Good. Someone was there after all.

----

"You've never told me what you've been doing since I've last seen you." Vincent said as he tossed a log into the fire, fully dressed and looking much better than before. The medicine, after a few days of taking it, had helped to subdue the fever. He even planned of going outside for a change. He never liked being indoors for so long.

"I would rather not say." Aeth admitted, seated at a table with a belt before him sheathed with multiple daggers. At the moment he was inspecting the sharpness of a dagger.

"Why not? Or have you been doing the usu--"

Vincent was interrupted by a knock on the cabin door. Inside any noise seemed to have been sucked out, Aeth and Vincent exchanging an uneasy glance with one another. The knock repeated causing Aeth to stand from the table, wrapping the belt around his waist briskly and covered it with his jacket, signing to Vincent to stand away from the door. After making sure the mouse was well out of sight from anyone who wished to peek in, Aeth walked to answer the door.

He opened it enough to present his form, hand still on the knob as a brow quirked to the visitors. He first noticed their standing, intimidating for commoners but not aggressive. Or so he detected by the leader who stood before him. Secondly the uniform on the black dog, black and gold trimming with a symbol representing a group (in Aeth's personal opinion) of distasteful, low-bred hooligans that didn't know left from right and led by a childish braggart. Aeth smiled pleasantly.

"What a surprise. What brings you here, gentlemen?" He greeted, glancing to the soldiers behind the leader.

The soldier immediately detected that the man before him was well educated and was not to be dealt as a common man as they had in the town. He put on a respective front. "Good afternoon. Apologies for interrupting you, but we've been informed by the town that you are not from around here."

"Yes, yes. Seasonal hunting trip and all that." Aeth answered with the same smile plastered on his features. It made the soldier feel as though he were taking up valuable time from someone who had no business with anything. He was obligated to continue, as much as he preferred not to.

"Ah, yes. Well, we were informed of a Cult residing in these areas and we are looking for a boy not twenty years of age. A white furred mouse...black hair..." he paused as he tried to remember other specifics of the boy. A soldier behind him spoke, "Different colored eyes, sir." he helped.

"Right, green and red, was it? Strange indeed, but have you seen anyone with this description, sir?"

Inside Vincent was out of sight, peering at the soldier and began to recognize the militia colors of the uniform. He remembered Kelico and that he wore those specific colors. What was it called again? The Swords of Chaos? But...didn't they fade out after Kelico's death? What were they doing back? He was also frightened by the description the black dog gave, resembling himself save for the eyes. Brandon's right eye was green. What could they want with him? Had he been involved with these people?

Aeth quirked a brow as though he were in recollection, glancing away a bit for more effect. "I don't believe so. Nor of any "cult" around this area." he answered, the smile replacing itself.

"We've been informed that you were keeping someone inside by the doctor. Perhaps we could ask them?" Another soldier to the left proposed, the leader nodding gently in agreement. "It won't take long, sir."

The smile thinned, any pleasantness Aeth had fading away as he stared at the leader. "That would not be necessary. As I've told you, there are no 'cult's or whomever you're looking for near here."

The soldier frowned to this reaction as though Aeth had already shut the door in his face. "If you would please step aside."

Aeth remained still, keeping a stoic feature as he kept his gaze on the leader. The dog grew impatient, gritting his teeth angrily as he placed a hand on the door Aeth had been holding onto, applying pressure to open it more. "I've asked you kindly, sir."

Behind, Vincent took a step back, accidentally pressing against the chair near the table, causing a noise to sound. The soldier heard it, his head turning in it's direction, looking beyond Aeth and saw a figure standing there. White fur. Before the soldier could make a movement, Aeth punched the man's stomach under the ribs, causing him to falter over breathless. After pushing him out of the door's way, Aeth was tackled by two more soldiers to the ground as they came running inside after the assault.

Seeing Aeth taken to the ground by armed men, Vincent tried to run to his aid only to be taken hold of by a large jaguar who caught him, taking hold of his collar and examined him.

"This is him!" the jaguar exclaimed, countering Vincent's struggles. "Different eyes as Lord Zael had said!"

Vincent paused as the man mentioned his son. Lord Zael?! What was--

He grit his teeth, punching the man across the jaw, released from the hold. Vincent refused to be taken like this. But his wishes were not met as another soldier took hold of the back of Vincent's collar as he ran towards Aeth, throwing him back against the wall face first. There he felt his wrists forced behind him and something tying them together.

A soldier was lying stiffly on the ground as Aeth wrestled with another, hands around each others necks. The large cat on top of him lifted a fist, bringing it down to the side of Aeth's face. By the time Aeth squinted an eye open, he saw two soldiers taking Vincent towards the door, the mouse clearly struggling against them. Aeth took all the strength he had to push the heavy cat off of him, picking himself up to reach for Vincent. He suddenly felt something strike the back of his head hard, Aeth's form falling onto the ground with a strained expression in unconsciousness. The black dog from before snorted as he dropped what seemed like a broken table leg to the floor.

Looking back, Vincent saw Aeth's body lying on the floor motionless, a soldier standing over him. "Aeth!" he yelled, pulling himself back against the two soldiers. He felt himself pushed over, falling outside onto the dirtied snow on his stomach, hands bound behind him. A soldier then came behind him, tying a white gag around Vincent's mouth before the mouse was picked up again.

The black cat rose himself and stood next to his leader, looking down at the unconscious dog. He rubbed his knuckles sorely. "Bloke put up a fight, didn't he?" he commented, looking around the contents of the cabin.

"Yes. Poor ol' Wendel was handled rather quickly by him." the dog said, looking at the dead soldier lying next to Aeth.

"Suppose we do something about him?"

The leader frowned in thought as he took a more careful look at Aeth. Something about him seemed very familiar. "No. What can he do? It would be a poor choice if the villagers find he had disappeared right after we had gone to pay a visit."

"They did seem to like him."

"Take Wendel and we'll leave it at that. We only came for the boy." The dog ordered, turning around to exit as the cat promptly followed instruction.

++++