Part 3: Chapter 13

When they finally reached the cliff, Luhan had to admit the climb was worth it.  The flat area at the edge of the mountain was rather large.  The view was spectacular, even in the dark.  Below them were the lights of the city.  The dark expanse beyond the city was another mountain.  It was to the right of that mountain where the sun would rise.  Luhan turned further to the right.  Unseen in the dark of the night was the mountain that rose behind the Old Man’s house.  The mountain that housed the mysterious temple and held all their destinies. 

A hand on his shoulder jolted him out of his thoughts. 

“Come on, Luhan,” Baekhyun said.  “You can help Chanyeol and me find firewood.”

“Any chance you could fill me in on what the pinecones are for?” Luhan asked.

Baekhyun held his stomach as he folded over laughing.  “Oh, don’t worry,” he said, still laughing.  “Nothing to worry about.”

“Baekhyun, quit teasing the guy,” Chanyeol said, punching his friend in the shoulder.  “They’re for the game to see who goes first,” he told Luhan. 

“Goes first for what?”

Chanyeol opened his mouth, the glint in his eyes indicating his answer would be half true at best, but he was quickly cut off.

“Don’t you dare mislead him on this, Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo said as he and his flashlight emerged from the darkness.  “Sohee’s going to be pissed if she finds out you’re teasing him about this.”

Chanyeol shrugged the warning off with a smile and turned to help Baekhyun gather wood. 

“It’s this thing that Sohee used to do with her dad,” Kyungsoo told Luhan, answering his question.  “It sounds really lame at first, but it’s really not all that bad.  We each say something that we want to change or do in the next year and say how we did on last year.  And we have a chance to open up to each other about stuff we don’t normally talk about.”

That seemed like a pretty serious and potentially emotional activity for the group of troublemakers Luhan was still getting to know.  “And whoever loses the game goes first?”

“Yep,” Kyungsoo said as he eyed Chanyeol and Baekhyun. 

“How do you not lose the game?”

By the time Kai, Tao and Xiumin arrived, the fire was going strong, thanks to Chanyeol’s lighter.  Some of the guys had brought drinks and snacks.  Since they couldn’t start the game without the missing three, they’d been killing time.

It had given Luhan an opportunity to get to know the guys better.  He hadn’t even realized how little he knew about them.  He’d been shocked to learn they all lived in an orphanage together.  Kai had been there as a baby, Kyungsoo was next, Lay was the last to arrive at age seven.

Chanyeol smoked, which is why he had the lighter.  Tao and Xiumin both did Taekwondo.  Suho loved to swim but refused to join the school’s swim team.  Baekhyun was the main joker of the group and normally got everyone in trouble – okay, that Luhan already knew.  They all held the upmost respect for Kai and none of them seemed to know why.  They just did.

Luhan caught Kyungsoo rubbing at his arm as he had the past couple of days.  He glanced at his wrist, the sleeve of his jacket hiding his own mark.  No one had even mentioned anything relating to the wolf stuff.  Luhan wondered how long that was going to last. 

“Kai!” Sohee jumped up and ran to him as he, Tao and Xiumin emerged from the trees.  He caught her and spun her around with a smile.  He tugged her