“Oh for the love of all things holy…” Suho wheezes as he finally catches up to us, beaten only by Sehun, unless you want to count Jongin teleporting only to be sent back down the hill to start again.

“I thought we were in good shape, apparently not.” Kris’s heavy breathing reached my ears.

“Yeah but she didn’t even break a sweat.” Lay says as more of the pack catches up.

“She’s probably cheating, using an illusion to look cool.” Chen says with a snicker as sweat drips from his forehead.

“That would just be more exhausting, why would I do that?” I say as Luhan eyes me closely, probably knowing why this didn’t tire me out like it did them.

“We have been running for hours, how are you looking as calm as Sehun is?” Baekhyun ask as he wipes his face with a towel.

I just smile at him and I can tell they know that this skill isn’t something I wanted to learn, but had to learn to stay alive.

“When you are running your entire life, it starts to become second nature.” Luhan says bluntly as he sits beside me and leans on me to catch his breathe.

A few of the boys look saddened by this revelation and I need to say something to show I want them to know.

“I used to get so scared when I would get tired, never knowing if this one time someone will get me and that will be the end, so I forced myself to always run and never look back. I guess after so many years of doing it that way my stamina just got used to it as if I were merely walking. I don’t hate this skill, and honestly I like it more now that there are people I care about running alongside me.” I say as Luhan‘s grip on me tightens and all the boys have smiles on their faces.

“Well behind you, only one of us can seem to keep up.” Chanyeol smiles as he plops in front of me and uses my lap as a pillow as everyone laughs at his words.

“Well when you are the wind, not much can keep up.” Sehun says nonchalantly as Kris smacks him upside the head in a playful manner.

“Stop showing off maknae.” Kris says with a smirk.

“Man I hate being the young..wait a minute, I AM NOT THE MAKNAE!” He says as he dances around a bit.

“What do you mean of course you..oh oooh!!!Haha that’s true!” Baekhyun laughs as he high fives Sehun and Kai joins in too catching on.

“Oh no.” I say

“Oh yes indeed my dear. You are now the youngest in this pack, how’s it hanging Maknae?” They all grin at me and surround me as they start shoving me around in the circle playfully ruffling my hair as I get shoved to them.

“OK ok enough, we need to get back to training.” Donghae says as he comes out of the small building we were running to.

Once we all calm down and head inside I can see Miyu and her mates training as well. They look utterly exhausted and clearly done.

“I want you all to observe Natsume and her group, we need to know how each of us fight so we can be better prepared and know who should be paired for a better advantage.” Kazu says as he comes in with towels for Miyuki’s team.

“I just want to take a shower, I smell like a dead horse.” Taehyung says as he falls to the floor by Miyuki’s feet overdramatically.

“Hey you take that back right now, you are the only thing in here that would give off a dead smell!” Hoseok quickly defends himself. “If anything it smells like a wet cat in here with all the sweat those two are leaking.”

“HEY!” The two referred to try to retort but were cut off by Kris.

“Now that you bring it up we are still much uninformed about each other’s abilities even if we have already worked together.” He says as both Packs line up in front of each other to show off their skills while Miyu’s mates look less enthusiastic about even moving right now so they just spill the beans rather than trying to be cool about it.

“Well me and this loser are both Dhampirs, we are half vampire and half human. Neither of us have a special ability that is considered an elemental or inherited skill because of our human blood.” Namjoon says motioning between him and Taehyung.

“We are also both the same type, me and Jin are Sirens, unlike most Jin does not have the voice of a Siren but can slightly control the water around him, but only if he can touch it. I however have the haunting voice of a Siren as well as an inherited ability, I can give anyone I want the ability to breathe under water regardless of contact or being in view, and if we can connect mentally I can bestow them with my gift.” Jungkook say as he too plants himself spread out on the floor, clearly exhausted as well.

“Are you all still considered a pack even if you all are so different?” Tao asks them as this was a question they had been sitting on because they could tell not all the boys were the same type of SN.

“A Pack is usually filled of the same beings by definition and I really do understand your question but I refuse to answer you.” Jimin says as he steps forward to share his lineage as well.

“Why?” Baekhyun asks him in confusion.

“Well right before you came in we heard you all announce that Natsume was the new Maknae of your pack right?” Jimin says with a smile quite wide

All Tao does is blush as they realize his point. A pack is a group of people that accept each other regardless of anything because they just know when someone belongs and someone doesn’t and it has nothing to do with what type of SN you are. The Wolves are just so used to being around their own kind that they had not been exposed to different Pack dynamics.

“See, it isn’t about what you are but who you are and how you fit in the puzzle. Anyway back to our late introduction, as for Jimin and myself, we are an ancient beast that haunts you.. ow!” Suga is interrupted by the smack on the back from Namjoon.

“Just tell them the truth rather than your over exaggerated story.”

“Fine, Haetae, which is what we are.” Suga says with his nose up in the air.

“That makes so much sense, no matter how many times I hear it.” I giggle as me and Miyuki share a laugh.

“Why do you say that?” Jimin asks holding up his brow at me.

“Well a Haetae is very close to a Shisa or Lion Dog in our culture, they are always drawn to Miyuki wherever we go, and they show utmost respect to her as the guardian of the West. So of course one of her mates just had to be of similar descent.” I smile knowing the connection Miyu has with SN’s that are considered Protectors of the home or sacred place.

“I guess that leaves me, I am a Chollima, a Pegasus.” Hoseok says with a wide grin as some of his brothers’ giggle behind him.

“Look at those horse teeth” Taehyung laughs before Hoseok turns and elbows him right in the jaw.

“I hope you lose a fang you jerk!” Hoseok fires back with a grin as he joins the Sirens lying on the floor.

“So with all that introductions given, how about we start training?” Kazuma says as we all groan in unison.

***********

Nobody moved as Natsume battled it out with Chanyeol. The two had been yearning to test their flames against each other since they found out they shared an element. The surprised faces of all those around them the only clue to who was winning.

“Chanyeol Hyung has the upper hand here. He knows so much about his own flaws and weaknesses. He used to shy away from using his powers because he was always afraid his flame would get out of his control.” Xiumin says as they continue to watch the battle that seems to be going the way the elder described.

“I disagree with you.” Miyu says with a hand on his shoulder. “Many of you boys are quite excellent at harnessing your powers, whether due to your tight connection to it or because there were so many different elements to test it on, but you lack one very simple step.”

“And what might that be pre tell?” Tao questions with a snotty attitude.

I have been worried that this was the case with Chanyeol since the very first time I saw his flame.

“Are you afraid Chanyeol?” I ask him.

“I don’t understand, are you not afraid? We control a strong force of power Nana, you can’t take it so lightly.” He scoffs at me as a few of the boys warn him to calm down.

“Don’t get so angry Chanyeol, it never bods well for you.” Suho chides lightly before they are all blown back by the force of my flames gaining more space in the room.

“Hey are you crazy, you could blow us all up!? Look Nana, I know you think you are some prodigy or whatever but you can’t endanger our pack members just to show off!” Chanyeol yells as Suho and the others try to reel in my flames with their abilities.

“That is enough!” I scream as my flames engulf every single person in the arena.

I slowly walk toward Chanyeol as he panics and starts trying to get rid of my flames.

“Have you ever lost control of our ability Chanyeol? Caused an accident you didn’t mean to and were yelled at for it? Beaten for it?” I ask him slowly and without malice in my voice as his eyes start to water.

He nods furiously.

“Show me your core Chanyeol, let me see the origin of your power.” I say as I touch his chest. “Trust me, I won’t let anything happen to anyone.”

Slowly I move my hand away from his chest, a small flame emerging from his front. A tiny little flame that slowly takes the shape of a little bird as it flutters around me happily.

“This is it?” I ask him as he nods meekly. “Are you scared of the power you possess? Do you trust it as strongly as you trust your brothers?”

He shakes his head in a no, unable to face the slowly diminishing flame as he admits to this.

“You boys have spent years training with each other to further your skill, pushing each other to know the best ways to defend yourselves and use your powers against the strongest of opponents, but could you beat yourself? Do you know your ability enough to defend against the same or even stronger flame than your own?” I say as I eye the boys in front of me.

“Connect with our power? Core? What are you talking about?” Chen questions, clearly unaware of what I meant.

“Every supernatural being contains a core, a place that their power comes from and where they stay when we are not using them. It isn’t a physical place or organ one can see but it changes everything once a SN connects with it.” I say.

“I have heard this before.” Lay says, surprising a few of his brothers who clearly were lost.

“What do you mean? Why is this something we don’t know?” Suho questions looking at Kazu and Donghae for some sort of explanation.

Donghae steps up to answer him. “Many different creatures in our world are too afraid to do what Natsume is talking about. The more powerful you are the more dangerous, because your core is your everything. People have even lost their core while trying to find it because you have to give in to your power, the raw form it comes from, the source that has no connection to you but to your power and it can decide that you are unworthy.”

“And you were going to ask Chanyeol to do this?” Kris yells at me only to be cut short by the fist to his face.

“Oh shut up, she is being a better leader than you are so watch your tongue!” Kazu says as he gestures back to Miyuki.

“We were all trained to connect to our core, she wouldn’t suggest it unless she understands what someone needs to go through to connect to it.” Miyuki says joining the conversation.

“As you all have seen, Natsume’s flame has taken the shape of her fox when she focuses on her ability, that happens because her and her flame have connected, she is in touch with her core, which explains why she is able to use them so well, just like in a pack, you need to trust your partners and in this case I mean your powers.” Kazu says as Natsume continues to play with Chanyeol’s little fire bird.

“If you think I will risk letting my flames consume you all because of a little power boost you can forget it!” Chanyeol screams at us as his fire bird flickers like a flame about to go out.

“You need to calm down! The more upset and frightened you get the hard this will be. Please Chanyeol, you have to believe in your power.” I say as calmly as I can while I slowly approach him.

“Don’t.” He says when we are inches apart.

“I am trying to help you, just as you are feeling this way, we all did. Do you think a Goddess like Miyuki would be unafraid of her celestial powers, let alone the power she already has as a Inherited type? We all have stood where you are Chanyeol, please trust in us, in me.” I say as I place a hand on his cheek.

“What should I do?” He asks.

“Everyone’s power has its own image, just because I am a fox doesn’t mean my flames would take that shape, however as usual I am complicated and it’s real form is a large nine-tails fox, but because we are more connected than ever when my power burst it reflected myself, a 7 tailed fox.” I say as my flame that had seemingly went wild slowly gathered together and formed a nine tailed fox. “Focus on the feeling you get when your power listens to you, concentrate on it as if it is trying to speak to you.”

“Hey! Pay attention wolves, you all should be doing this, it is the first step to finding your core.” Kazu yells as Miyu and her mates migrate to the door. They have all done this before and know that quiet and alone work the best.

“I’m not getting anything.” Chanyeol says with his eyes still closed.

*Open your eyes Yeolie.* I say in his mind as to not disturb the rest.

*Look at Lay, he is the most in control of his ability because he mostly uses it on others. I knew he wouldn’t take long.* I saw as Chanyeol eyes where Lay is sitting.

Next to Lay on the ground is the same blue-green swirl of power that exits his hands when he uses his power except that it is collecting next to him in the form of a horse with a long horn on its head. Lay slowly pets the creature as Chanyeol turns to me quickly.

*It is so huge!* He says

*That is because Lay is very powerful, and he truly understands his inherited ability.*

As I look across the room it seems that many of the boys are having trouble controlling themselves. Those with inherited abilities are doing better but not as much. I start to get rather frustrated with them, I know a few don’t trust me but I can see that some aren’t even trying. Suho, Kris Luhan and Xiumin are all standing around looking quite smug with themselves.

“Ok everyone that is enough. All of you need to take a break, however those who didn’t participate, I will see you soon as you four can run on down and then right back up.” Kazu says as the other boys pile out.

“This is all your fault, way to give us more work as if all this isn’t enough.” Xiumin mumbles under his breath as they head toward the back to head down the hill again.

“Chanyeol?” I call as he turns to me, frustrated and annoyed.

“What now?”

“Stay here for just a second ok?” I ask as the rest of the boys leave.

“Why so you can show mw how incompetent I am? No thanks.” He shakes his head and turns around.

“Fine, come.” I say to him. He turns around eyes fuming, however when he turns his little flame comes bounding toward me.

“Hey, get back here!” He yells as he jogs toward me as his flame dances around me.

“I am not saying you are incompetent, I am trying to show you that you are so much more than you think. I don’t want any of us to hesitate, it could mean our end Chanyeol. We need to believe in ourselves as much as we do the others.” I say as I take hold of his flame.

“I need you to see, this is cheating and I know it but you are too afraid of your flames.” I say as his fire bird perches on my arm and starts to sing, its chirps sharp and loud as it suddenly bursts and doubles in size, small parts of the bird fiery feathers tinged in blue as I help the flame show its true potential. A large Phoenix flapping its wings and surrounding us both in a sea of red and blue.

“She is getting stronger sir, the more she continues to connect with the people around her the harder it will be to go through with your plan.” A Dark figure bows to a large chair at the end of a long throne room.

“If you had been more competent in keeping her in Izanami’s lair things would have gone much smoother. Miyuki was almost in my grasp. She will be the key to Natsume’s undoing, I don’t want this continued failure in separating her and her mates. It is time to separate that troublesome duo once and for all.”

“What about the crow? He is still in their grasp, do we let him return, or end him?” The kneeling figure asks.

“His mate was the real creature I wanted, he was just thrown in for extra measure, he is of no value to me. He knows little to nothing of or organizations inner doings. Let them play with him until they find out he is useless.” The figure stretches as it stands from its throne. “I am tired of all these failed attempts at getting her here. If you want to have her in your collection when I am done with her I urge you to do a better job at the one thing you are supposed to excel at!”

“Of course sir, no more failures.”

Author’s note:

I know it has been a while but let me tell you life is not easy. I finally got back to this and I hope that this surge of ideas in my mind help me forward this story. I hope everyone had a good holiday and is doing well so far this year and I hope I still have interested readers!!

Thanks So much,

Natsume