“Ravi. Hongbin,” Sori called as she walked over to the pair in question, “do you have a minute? I’d like to talk to you.”

“Sure,” Ravi nodded, getting up so he could look the older shifter in the eye.

“How’s Yuri?” Hongbin asked, getting up as well.

“She’ll be fine,” Sori smiled slightly, “mostly thanks to you two. I owe you two for what you did.”

“We didn’t do much,” Hongbin shrugged.

“And you don’t owe us anything,” Ravi added, suddenly frowning, “I let the guy who shot her get away.”

“You didn’t let him get away,” she patted his shoulder, “he took the coward’s way out. You couldn’t have done anything to stop it. Don’t blame yourself.”

“I know,” he muttered.

Ravi’s mind took him back to the moment he and Kris had cornered the shooter. The man had no place to go. Behind him was a rock too massive to get over unless you could fly. To his right was a steep cliff with the lake resting at the bottom. The cliff wasn’t tall enough to kill you, but the rocks peeking out from the water were. His only other exits were blocked by Kris and Ravi. The man looked back and forth, trying to decide what to do.

Ravi realized what the man was about to do a split second after the man made a move for the hand gun stashed in his coat. But it was too late. It was like the second Ravi started moving, the man had already pulled out his gun and fired it. But not at Ravi or Kris; at himself. As the man dropped to the ground, Kris let out an inhuman growl the honestly scared Ravi a little.

The shifter backed away from the body, letting Kris look it over. Ravi didn’t have the stomach to spend much time looking at the man’s body or the rock behind him that was splattered with blood and brains. The little time he did spend looking at him was already going to be giving him a year’s worth of nightmares.

“I’m going to train both of you,” Sori’s sudden statement pulled Ravi back to the present.

“Huh?” he asked, “what do you mean?”

“I mean I’m going to help you both get stronger,” she replied, “as thanks for what you did.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Hongbin said, “you probably want to spend your time doing other things. You don’t need to waste it on us.”

“I don’t think it would be a waste,” she frowned slightly, “and I think it would be wise to train you. Your gifts might prove to be useful later.”

“Why?” Ravi narrowed his eyes slightly, “what do you know?”

“Nothing,” she sighed, “for once I know nothing. But I have a suspicion that we’re going to have a fight coming. And an important one at that. We’re all going to need to be ready for that which is why I’m going to train the both of you.”

“Alright,” Ravi nodded, thinking over her words. Hongbin nodded in agreement beside him.

With the warnings N and Sehun had been getting from their ghosts and the recent attack on Yuri, there probably was something else coming. Something big. All of this was just the opening act and they needed to be ready for the main performance.

“Good,” Sori gave the pair a pleased smirk, “met me at the flying training grounds tomorrow at dawn.”

Hongbin nodded and started to walk off, pausing when he noticed that Ravi hadn’t moved. He looked back to find Sori holding Ravi’s wrist. Ravi looked rather surprised by the act, but wasn’t fighting back.

“Go,” Ravi waved him off upon noticing Hongbin watching, “I’ll catch up.” Hongbin nodded and left.

“I should apologize,” Sori sighed, looking reluctant to say whatever she was trying to say, “for blowing up at you back then. I shouldn’t have lashed out like that, I shouldn’t have taken all of my anger and frustration out on you.”

“It’s fine,” Ravi smiled, “I’m not mad at you for it.”

“Whether you’re mad at me or not doesn’t matter,” she replied, “the fact is that I have to apologize for what I did and said. It wasn’t fair to you and I need to admit that I was wrong.”

“Luhan told you to apologize,” he laughed slightly, “didn’t he?”

“Yes,” she nodded slightly, a small smile forming, “he’s rather good with giving people advice. I’d be a fool not to take it.”

“I shouldn’t have blabbed to someone outside of the group,” Ravi said, “I should have realized why you didn’t want to talk and just left it at that.”

“You like having answers,” Sori shrugged, “it’s a good quality to have. You just have to learn when not to ask questions.”

“Maybe you can help me with that?” Ravi suggested, a small, hopeful smile on his face.

“Someone has to,” Sori snorted, “or you’re going to get your heart ripped out by the council the first time you met them.”

“I’m going to have to meet them?” Ravi questioned a pained expression on his face. He knew what they were doing to Sori and he wanted to avoid any and all contact with them.

“One day,” she nodded, “don’t worry, I’ll be there to help you. I promise.”

“And I promise to help you,” Ravi pledged. Sori blinked, clearly surprised by his sudden announcement.

“I’ll hold you to that,” she said, smiling ever so slightly.

--

Hongbin watched at the two black bears before him exchanged blows. The slightly smaller bear was Sori while the other was Ravi. As he watched, Hongbin tried to figure out who was going to win the fight. Sori was stronger since she was more experience, but Ravi had determination on his side. Plus, she was holding back so he might actually have a chance at beating her.

Hongbin laughed slightly at that idea.

Ravi was going to get his kicked. Even holding back, Sori could easily take him down. And Ravi seemed to know this as he was extra careful with every swing he took. Even the slightest mistake could end with him on his back. But his caution wasn’t winning him any battles either. While Ravi was hesitant, Sori had no problems charging ahead, putting Ravi on the defence within seconds of the battle starting.

Trying to predict Sori’s next move proved to be harder work then Ravi originally thought. Just when he thought he’d found a pattern in her moves, she switched things up and he had to start from scratch. It proved to be rather tiring and soon Sori found an opening in Ravi’s defence. With a small smirk, she sent Ravi sprawling back.

“Good try,” she told him after they had both changed back, “you fight well.”

“Not really,” he frowned as she helped him over to Hongbin, “if I was doing that great, I wouldn’t look as beaten up as I do.”

“I’m not complaining,” Hongbin laughed, “it gives me something to do other then watch you to go at it.”

“I should ask Hyuna to assist us,” Sori frowned thoughtfully, “that way you can be practicing your empath skills while we practice. It won’t do you much good to just sit here until one of us needs healing.”

“Good to hear,” Hongbin laughed again, “because I’m starting to feel like a third wheel just siting here.”

“You could try cheering me on,” Ravi suggested as Hongbin finished healing the last of his bruises, “I could do with some encouragement from a friend.”

“If I’m going to cheer for anyone, it’s going to be Sori,” Hongbin teased, “I wanna see her knock you on your a few more times.”

“Brat,” Ravi pouted, “some best friend you are.”

“Let’s get back to training,” Sori said, laughing slightly at the pair, “let’s try changing into something from the cat family tree this time.”

“Alright,” Ravi nodded as the two walked to the middle of the field once more, “tigers?”

“I was thinking lions,” she shrugged, “but if you want to be a tiger that’s fine. It would be an interesting twist to our fight.”

“Alright,” Ravi smiled, “this time I’ll knock you on your .”

“We’ll see,” Sori laughed, “But I think you’re a few years too early to be making that kind of boast.”

“Never know until you try,” he replied.

A/N: poor Hongbin is kind of the third wheel here, isn’t he? But at least he gets to practice his healing, right? Oh! and early Happy Canada Day to my follow Canadians! and early Happy 4th of July for all you American readers, too!!