Another day of unnatural, foul smelling clouds allowed the vampires out during the daylight hours so they could help the wolves patrol and investigate the world as it was changing.  Regular forays into the remaining cities wasn’t difficult anymore, though getting to the ones that actually had people left was another matter entirely.  In Mexico, smaller cities and towns had been utterly evacuated as the humans migrated to ever larger ones for protection and a modicum of hope.  The same could probably be said for America as well.

                Patches of sunlight made its way through the barrier during only the briefest of moments, casting the world in a perpetual gray pall brought on by the combined idiocy of both sides.  It had taken them a while to confirm but after the humans bombed the forests, decimating a substantial portion of the trees across the globe, the desperate nonhumans had retaliated in kind.  All across the world, acrid smelling oil fields and storage compounds were attacked and ignited, hoping to stall the humans with a lack of transportation.  It hadn’t been so bad at first since things warmed up with the initial loss, temperatures rising into unseasonable highs with the destruction of the earth’s natural regulators: the trees.  But the countermeasures backfired.

                Kyuhyun and Youngjae both confirmed the large scale fires would prompt the equivalent of a nuclear winter, despite the fact no nuclear bombs had been used.  At least not in their vicinity.  That wasn’t to say none had been detonated elsewhere in the world.  Their intel simply didn’t extend that far.  Not with the loss of all international communication.  Radio signals were the only reliable source and that was spotty at best.

                Ryeowook didn’t like any of it and he knew his brother liked it even less.  The cold weather bit into the humans deeply, more bitter and unforgiving than usual, though it hardly touched the nonhumans.  Mostly anyway.  The Possessed had a higher tolerance than most, just like Minsoo, but the compromised were another story and they were often confined to the relative safety and warmth of their ‘home’.  It was hard to keep an underground cave system warm since the stone leeched the heat from their bodies, but it was better than nothing.  There had been talk of shifting into one of the abandoned cities but nothing had been decided just yet.

                It had been months since they’d regrouped and tried to make the best of their current situation.  Nothing had come easy.  The returning wolves brought the remnants of illness with them, infecting the rest of the group in the process.  An already compromised Thunder had succumbed like Yunho and Sungmin survived but only barely.  The sustained fever had fried his mental capacity, as Kyuhyun put it.  He was functional though not unlike a child; the results of their siblings’ conditions left both Luna and Karam despondent for days with her curled in his lap, whining like a lost puppy.  Even her hero, Minsoo, had been unable to rouse the young wolf from her stupor during that time.

                Neither had the wolf-kin been spared.  Henry and Jongup had been afflicted the worst, dealing with symptoms akin to food poisoning on an extreme scale, while Amber tangled with the equivalent of a mild flu and Jiyong got off light with barely a sniffle.  Fortunately, all had survived without needing to be altered like Yukwon, though no one was sure it would have worked anyway.  They’d never tried turning a wolf-kin before.  At least not that any current vampire could recall…

                As for the humans in general, they were simply sickly.  Most of them dealt with some type of illness or another: from water that wasn’t boiled or purified enough to being too cold to illness that tended to run rampant through the enclosed space of their clustered home.  Ryeowook was scared more than once over JR’s condition, but his brother was stubborn, if nothing else.  Fortunately.  It seemed as if all the humans left had that in common.

                Only the vampires seemed relatively unaffected by illness, but the Chos unanimously explained it was because their systems had only remnants of living cells for viruses to work with, which was why only the engineered one from the half-turneds they dealt with offered any threat.

                With another look around at their bleak, patchy-snow covered environment, Ryeowook could almost safely confirm that was a worry they didn’t have to fret over much longer.  It had been weeks since they’d run across one and longer than that since they’d actually had to deal with the consequences.  The stench was another matter and he wasn’t entirely sure how the Shims or the wolves dealt with it.  Aside from the smoke and the dead, something in the air smelled wrong and it turned his stomach every time he stayed outside for long, like they were doing currently.

                Wings overhead alerted them that Hyosung was returning from her initial check over Phoenix, her darkly clad form visible as a solid form against the smudged background.  “You were right, Kyu,” she huffed, folding her wings but keeping them out when she set down in front of their small group of vampires.  The wolves tended to stay closer to the cave and the humans, for protection and food purposes more often than not.  Plus, with the typical false cloud protection, the vampires could cover more ground at any given time and finding food wasn’t too much of an issue.

                “Damn,” Changmin muttered under his breath, scratching at his face with his remaining hand.  Little tendrils of smoke rose from the city itself where small fires still burned from the infighting among the classes.

                “I knew things were bad but I didn’t think they’d be this bad,” Ryeowook frowned, drawing closer to Kyuhyun.  The elder vampire wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him in without saying a word.

                Nearby, the frustrated Changjo glared at the city.  “I still bet they blame us for the stupid virus that hit the wolves.”

                “You know the higher ups have been feeding them all sorts of lies,” Hyosung scowled with a flick of her hand.

                “If they have any contact left,” Sungmin quietly reminded them, a pensive expression on his face.  “Most of them are probably as in the dark as we are.  If not more so.”

                “Do you think they have any medicine or supplies left?” Ryeowook asked softly, his fingers pressing harder into Kyuhyun’s arm.

                Kyuhyun snorted at the comment but didn’t say anything.  “Not that they’d be willing to give to us any,” Changmin muttered for him, sighing audibly.

                “Sunlight!” Sungmin warned as the clouds began to shift enough to let a beam through.

                All the vampires tensed in reaction and reached back to free the spring loaded covers they’d created for just this reason, courtesy of the combined efforts of the Chos in particular.  A crafted framework unfolded from small packs on their backs, with the exception of Hyosung who carried an oversized umbrella at her hip.  When fully extended, the frames bracketed each vampire with a durable patch of material to effectively keep the sun away so long as they kept their backs to it.  While not an ideal solution, it was better than hiding at all times just in case the sun decided to come out when they were out in the open.

                “Do you suppose Kangin and his group found anything better in San Diego?” Changjo asked with a thoughtful frown on his face.

                “Maybe,” Kyuhyun nodded once, though he looked at Ryeowook whose face gave away his worry and concern.  “He’s made it this long, Wookie,” he assured the younger vampire, hand half raised as if to reach across the distance to touch him.

                “I know,” Ryeowook nodded, wanting very much to be in Kyuhyun’s arms at the reminder.  “But I’m more worried about Jieun and the baby,” he admitted with a pained expression.  “If another wave of sickness hits before we find some…” he trailed off, unwilling to finish the statement.

                “We know, Wookie,” Changmin promised him solemnly.  “That’s why we’re out here.”

                Had her pregnancy with Zico not happened, Ryeowook might never have learned of the respect vampires and wolves both had for the young.  It never would have occurred to him since vampires couldn’t have children but he had been more than surprised to know that most of them had offspring: before they became what they were.  Kyuhyun himself had two children, a boy and a girl, before he donned the mantle of vampirehood several hundred years ago.  In fact, most of the vampires had done so…  He still felt a bit cheated himself, but then again, it wasn’t like he had any intention of marrying a young woman anyway.

                “And you know Sunhwa and Sunny won’t let anything happen to her while we’re gone,” Hyosung reminded him pointedly, a knowing look on her face.

                “Are you kidding?” Kyuhyun scoffed with one brow raised.  “You so much as look at her wrong and those two are ready to rip your face off.”

                “Even Zico has a hard time with them some days,” Changmin chuckled in dry amusement.

                “Clear!” Sungmin called out again when the danger had passed.  Mutely, the vampires retracted their shields and nodded in tandem.

                Kyuhyun and Ryeowook exchanged glances before their fingers interlocked in a tender hold.  Words often failed them still and Kyuhyun seemed inclined to not say anything first, after the confession he’d given months ago, but there was no doubt in Ryeowook’s mind how the elder vampire felt about him.  He could see it in his eyes and the way Kyuhyun watched over him.  It was in the little touches they shared and the long embraces together while the pair rested.  He noticed it in camp when Kyuhyun continued to make friends with his brother and how, when they trained together, he gave more and more control and respect to Ryeowook.  And it was abundantly obvious when they patrolled, never separating but always relying on each other to be there regardless.  There was love there, spoken in a thousand different ways without ever saying the words.

                The mere thought brought tears to Ryeowook’s eyes and he smiled to banish them, feeling his heart flutter at the look he got in return.  “Let’s see what we can find,” he whispered, glancing around the group who all seemed to feel the gravity of the moment.

                “For everyone back home,” Kyuhyun confirmed softly, nodding in confirmation to Changmin who was leading the way, Changjo stolidly at his side.

                Hand in hand, Ryeowook and Kyuhyun followed after the pair with Sungmin behind them and Hyosung taking to the air.  Ryeowook watched her flap into the distance and then looked back to see Kyuhyun’s eyes on him instead.  He tightened his hand and the smile on his face warmed.  He hadn’t said it out loud to anyone yet, but yes.  If he said it to no one other than himself, there was love in him for the stupid, irritating vampire as well.

~~~~~~

                Even with the crackling fire always going in the middle room of the cave system, there seemed to be a chill inside that they couldn’t shake, no matter how much foliage or debris they covered the ground and walls with.  At least their feet weren’t cold through the hard stone exactly but the cold radiated in from outside and it was worse when the wind blew off the sea.  Which was always.  And while someone was up at all hours of the day and night, there were a few people that woke first in the morning.  Other than the early patrol and hunting parties.  Jieun was often one of them since being pregnant and cold didn’t always agree with her.

                The patrols regularly left before what passed for dawn to make sure they had a jump on anyone who might be in the area and to relieve N and Kiseop from evening watch.  The Cha leader hadn’t quite bounced back from the loss of his wings and Kiseop stayed with him to keep the elder vampire company, if only because he knew how it was to be without his own wings.  A voluntarily turned Ren had been with them for a while, learning the ins and outs of being a vampire, but he went with Kangin’s team eventually for further training under Zhou in particular.  It made sense considering he’d requested to become a Song.  Rumor among the humans was that he felt he needed to be stronger and his best option was his personal choice of vampire clans.

                Seunghyun and Siwon were always the first to leave, intending to make the widest arc and cover the most ground possible in a day, unless they made plans ahead of time otherwise.  Junsu with the still-coming-into-his-own Hyuk, followed soon thereafter, changing to wolf form only when they were outside so that Seungho with Amber and Soohyun with Yukwon could ride them, respectively.  The humans were bundled up as much as possible to help cut down on the wind chill.  Right around that same time, their hunting and gathering party would make the first run of the day.  Luna and Karam would have gone alone if anyone let them but Kyung and Junhong carrying an always sleepy at that hour Jongup headed out with them for the initial supply run.  Throughout the day, they’d return and head out twice more before calling it and doing the same thing on the morrow.

                It wouldn’t be too much longer before the perimeter patrol boys would be getting up to head out as well.  Discontent to remain inside and do nothing but fret, Taekwoon and Minsoo often led Ken, Baekho, and JR into the morning to run closer perimeter checks and find what they could.  If anything.  In the afternoon, they switched out with Minho leading Zico, Jihoon, and Dongho in a similar format.  They too wore as much clothing as possible and part of all of their runs included searching for additional clothing and whatever supplies might still be out there.

                “I hope someone finds some more blankets soon,” Jieun shivered as she sat next to the fire with the wolves, Sunhwa and Sungmin, bracketing her body on either side.  A worn blanket covered her shoulders where she pulled the fabric in front of her, resting her hand just above the gentle swell of her belly.  She wasn’t more than four months along but on her tiny frame, it was already starting to show.

                “The boys are doing what they can,” Sunny reminded her as she paced on human feet, regular layers of clothing just enough to keep her comfortable inside.  Beyond the closed door they’d fashioned for the entrance, she would need more to keep the biting wind at bay.  The Lee stifled a shiver at the thought of the riders in particular, laughing internally that the wolves had ever agreed to be voluntary mounts for search and patrol purposes.

                She wasn’t surprised the Alphas had been the ones to volunteer predominantly and Geng she couldn’t blame for at least wanting to do something further out beyond the company of the Jungs and Chois.  Those four patrolled on their own.  Righteous, arrogant wolves.  Even if they did have their own good moments.  That was very true of Daehyun when he wasn’t hungry.  And Seunghyun when he wasn’t too busy playing Alpha.  He was actually kind of cute around Junhong lately, in that overly protective father sort of way.  Admittedly, Byunghee was pretty level headed overall so he was alright in general.  And maybe Siwon was an exception, but she was a bit biased there.

                “You’re thinking about him again,” Jieun laughed, hiding behind one flap of cloth.

                “Of course she is,” Sulli yawned from the cot next to her designated work table.  They had yet to find or make a wheelchair for her to get around smoothly in so she spent most of her time in the center of everything, often times staying up late into the night.  “When it’s quiet, there’s not much else to do but think and worry about them,” she added, snuggling further into her arms with her eyes closed.  Her lower body was entirely unresponsive but the rest of her worked just fine.

                Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Hana joined the conversation a moment later with a glance back over her shoulder.  “You might want to bring in another bit of meat to dethaw for later.”  She focused on Sunny who nodded once.  “We’re almost out of stew again,” she sighed, the reluctant acceptance clear to hear in her tone.

                They were all growing tired of stew but it was the easiest thing to stretch over a long period of time based on limited food supplies, even with the wolves eating as much of the remaining creatures as possible.  Their hunting and gathering party had to roam further every time to find more to replace what they’d gone through.  It was no secret the wolves could eat a substantial amount and the humans needed a fair bit as well to sustain themselves at a level that would keep illness at bay.  Hopefully.  They’d all suffered one bout or another of being sick and none of them wanted to repeat it, which was why Jieun had the added benefit of wolf body warmers.  Sungmin took that moment to whine softly and lay his head in her lap for attention, tail wagging excitedly when she scratched at his ears.

                “It’s better than nothing,” Jieun shrugged in acceptance.  They’d had brief periods of time where food had been scarce and she would honestly take stew everyday over nothing some days.

                “I know,” Hana laughed, threading a strand of fully black hair behind her ear while she watched Sunny step into the mostly hazy morning.  The blond dye had finally grown out, leaving her with her natural hair color, though it was a bit greasy for her tastes.  None of them wanted to wash in the cold and they couldn’t waste firewood to heat water on a regular basis.

                “Morning sleepyhead,” Jieun called when she followed Sunhwa’s head to see Daesung emerging from his ‘room’.  The young man put a finger to his lips for silence and gestured back towards the darkened hallway.  “Sorry,” she whispered back with a smile.  “I forget some of them are still here.”

                “Baekho’s still sleeping,” he reminded her, scratching at equally black hair before chaffing his arms through the long, patched sweater.  “The cold hits them harder when it gets late.  I don’t know why they won’t switch it up,” he shook his head with a perturbed sigh.  For a moment, Hana and Jieun seemed to share his annoyance but then they simply shrugged along with him.  “How’s the baby?” he asked, carefully kneeling next to Jieun under Sunhwa’s watchful eyes.  Sungmin simply wagged his tail harder and nosed up towards Daesung for further attention, tong lolling out at the automatic head pat he got in return.

                “Fine, I think,” Jieun smiled with one hand caressing her tummy.  “She doesn’t move yet but nothing feels wrong.”

                “Except your back aches, you have morning sickness sometimes, and your feet hurt,” Hana playfully jibed, earning a glare for her words.

                “You’d be worse than me and you know it,” Jieun rolled her eyes, though her amusement didn’t fade.

                “Not for lack of trying,” her friend waved mischievously, prompting a flush instead.  “I’ve gotta stay warm somehow.”

                “You’re terrible,” Jieun mumbled, her cheeks pink and warm.  Hana merely shrugged but her demeanor shifted with a glance at Daesung who gave her a pitying expression.  With Yukwon being a half-turned, children were not an option between them.  The partial change made it impossible.

                Sunhwa took that moment to huff loudly and bump her nose against Jieun’s leg, drawing their attention back to more prominent thoughts, such as Sunny returning with a nicely frozen boar one of the teams had brought back the other day.  The wolf laid it down near the fire so residual heat would seep into it and put her fingers to her lips with a thoughtful look.  Those nearby leaned in close to hear what she was going to say.

                “While I don’t think the falling out between Luna and Minsoo was exactly the best thing, she’s been very focused in finding everything she can,” Sunny whispered with a nod towards the boar.  And it was true.  For someone so diminutive, she could do quite a bit when she put her mind to it.  Sungmin’s ears laid back against his head and he whined sadly.

                “It’s alright,” Jieun soothed, caressing the soft fur with her palm.  “Minsoo did the right thing in being honest with her,” she promised in a gentle tone.

                “It’s easy to forget she’s still so young,” Sunny sighed, folding her knees to sit on her heels by the boar.  “Just like you,” she chirped, reaching over to tap Sungmin on the nose with her index finger.  The giant wolf sneezed and cocked his head to the side, wagging his tail uncertainly.

                “She’ll be alright,” Daesung nodded reassuringly to the rest of them as he took a seat around the fire as well, soaking in the warmth as best he could.  “He cares for her very much still.  Luna will see that sooner or later.  But the Hunters aren’t like us.”

                “How do you know that?” Hana frowned with her knees pulled up to her chest, listening intently.

                Daesung tapped his head with a sigh.  “Because Donghae and his kin know a lot more than any of us give them credit for.”

(a/n: I had debated making this and the next update one but it would be massively long and this way at least gives you time to absorb bits and pieces of what's going on.  I believe I've accounted for everyone known at the moment though if you feel I've missed someone, please let me know.  ;)  We've got some interesting stuff coming up in the next update for sure and we'll see how you guys like the change.  If nothing else, you can be glad Wookie has pretty much finally come around!  Woot!  Don't worry.  We're not done with those two yet and I've got plenty more in store for them, but if you do happen to have any questions currently, feel free to let me know.  I realize I'm throwing a lot of info at you right now.  O.o  Thank you for being patient with me though and I really hope you enjoy the next update!)