Promises to Keep

by Kane

Chapter 1 - Call of the Wild

   The late August sun shone through the trees, illuminating the ground in
scattered patches.  The tall, black-furred werewolf looked around him,
watching with golden-yellow eyes the life around him, feeling the warm summer
breeze ruffle his fur.  Kane smiled as he saw his friends, living in peace at
last.  The relocation of the animalpeople had been by and large successful,
and the settlement's population now stood at just under one hundred.  But it
was more than just camaraderie that had attracted them here.  Here they were
promised freedom; freedom to live as they pleased, with no oppressive
government looming over them.  Many of them had discarded civilization
entirely, choosing to live as wild animals in the forest.  Some had not taken
their human forms in weeks.  Kane himself had left most of his humanity
behind.  The few possessions he kept with him, a change of clothes, a few
documents, including his college diploma, were safely stowed in the trunk of
his car, which he had left parked in an old parking lot just past the edge of
the settlement.  Kane looked around again, drinking in the vitality of place,
the raw, almost primal connection with nature.  He saw his friends, in their
animal forms, socializing with each other.  Coyote Osborne and Bear X were
sitting in the shade of an enormous redwood, deep in discussion.  A large
raven flew overhead, landed on a high branch, and cawed loudly.  That must be
Miklos.  And over there, moving like a living shadow, far in the distance,
wasn't that Katmandu?  Nearby him, Kane spotted Silverwolf.  The young, gray
wolf was jumping and pouncing with several other shifters his own age. 
Kane's smile broadened, and wished he could join in their fun.

   The handle of the sword Kane wore on his back poked him in the back of his
head, bringing his thoughts back to the present.  He had important duties to
carry out.  Okay, so nobody thought they were important except him.  Okay, so
most of them thought he was wasting his time.  But Kane felt that he was
doing something significant.  TrotFox had said he was being paranoid, but
Kane preferred to think of it as being cautious.

   Since the foundation of Heart's Dream, Kane had declared himself the
protector of the community.  Most of the animalpeople living there were
willing to fight to protect there new home, but Kane had gone a bit further. 
He had sworn to protect Heart's Dream, and vowed that the pack would come to
no harm as long as he lived.  That was his duty.  Weres like Ben Kindernacht
protected the land, Kane protected the pack.  Since then, Kane had spent most
of his time patrolling the settlement with his katana strapped to his back,
keeping a sharp eye out for hunters, the media, government spies, stealth
bombers armed with tactical nuclear weapons...okay, maybe that was being a
bit excessive.  But Kane knew that the time would come when his vigilance
would be needed.  He continued to walk through the settlement, scanning the
area for possible threats.  He saw a dark-furred grizzly bear walking towards
him, accompanied by a human wearing a t-shirt and patched jeans.  Kane smiled
as he approached his old friend.

   "Hey LoveBear, hey Todd," Kane said.

   "Hello Kane," the two said in unison.  "All quiet on the western front?"
asked LoveBear.

   "Quieter than the annual librarian's convention," replied Kane.  "How are
you two settling in?"

   "We're doing fine, thanks for asking," said the bear.  "We couldn't be
happier.  Do you really need to carry that thing around?" he asked, eying the
hilt of the katana.

   "As a matter of fact, I do," said Kane.  He reached over his shoulder to
grasp the handle.  "If I don't, people might forget who I am."

   "How could they forget you?" asked a voice from behind Kane.  "You're the
big, bad, paranoid wolf!"

   "And you're the smarted-mouthed fox!" retorted Kane, facing the new
arrival.

   TrotFox continued to grin broadly at Kane.  "Oh lighten up, Kane.  Stop
worrying about things that aren't going to happen and have some fun.  Come
on.  ShadowFox and I are going hunting.  Come with us."

   "I can't," said Kane. "I need to protect our home."

   "Kane, you need to lighten up.  You've done nothing but walk around with
and look over your shoulder every minute ever since you got here.  Relax,
have some fun!"  urged TrotFox.

   "He's right, you know,"  added LoveBear.

   "Oh, very well," Kane said with a sigh.  He unbuckled the scabbard and
handed it to Todd.  "Will you two watch over the pack while I'm gone?  I'd
feel better knowing that our safety was in good hands."

   "Of course we will," Todd said calmly.  "Don't worry so much."

   TrotFox began to run into the forest.  "C'mon!  We're burning daylight!" 
he shouted.

   "I'll be back soon.  Be careful!"  Kane dropped to all fours and ran after
TrotFox.

   The deer knew she was cornered.  Her eves rolled with terror at the sight
and scent of the two foxes and the wolf surrounding her.  She pranced around,
looking for some way to escape the deadly circle, but to no avail.  TrotFox
made the first move, nipping at the deer's belly.  His teeth left a small
scratch, but they dug deep enough to draw blood.  ShadowFox then made her
move, leaping at her left flank and opening another wound.  The two foxes to
continued to nip playfully at their prey, inflicting small, but painful
scratches.

   Then Kane, who had been waiting patiently the whole time, leapt at the
deer and closed his huge jaws around her throat.  His weight dragged her down
as she screamed; her dark, arterial blood gushing in all directions, even
down Kane's throat.  Strange, thought Kane, he had never realized how good
blood tasted before.  The doe struggled weakly one more time, then lay still
on the ground.  The salty, iron tang of blood hung heavily in the air.

   "Nice work," said TrotFox, eying the carnage.  "Now, don't you feel
better?"

   "Yeah, I guess so," Kane replied, licking at his blood covered muzzle. 
"We should be getting back, though.  They're probably getting worried."  Kane
stood on his hind legs, picked up the corpse of the doe and began to drag it
back to the camp.

   "Oh, come on, Kane!" protested TrotFox.  "Geez, why..."

   "Leave him alone, Trot," said ShadowFox.  "It's the way he is."

   TrotFox sighed and picked up the other end of the carcass.

   It was much later.  Kane lounged comfortably by the bonfire, staring into
it's flickering embers.  His belly was full, his sword hung on a tree branch
above him, and for the first time in a long time, his mind felt at peace. 
Almost.

   "Hi Kane," A young, chocolate brown she-wolf sat down beside him.

   "Oh!  Uh... hi Katie," Kane stammered.

   "TrotFox said you were hunting today," said Katie.

   "Uh... yeah!  Yeah, I was hunting today." said Kane, his eyes fixed on the
patch of white fur around her eyes, much like that of a raccoon.  Her scent
was absolutely intoxicating.  "Well, you know...Trot asked me to come along,
and I...uh..."

   Katie giggled.  "Trot and Shadow told me all about it.  Why don't you get
some rest?  You've had a long day."

   "Uh...sure Katie." said Kane.

   "Good night, Kane."  Katie stood up and walked away.  Kane watched her
every step, almost in a trance.

   "Wow, Kane, I don't think I've ever seen you at such a loss for words,"
said a voice behind him.

   Kane swiveled his head to face the newcomer.  So engrossed was he in his
observation of Katie, he had failed to notice Kindernacht's approach.  "I'm
just tired."

   "Oh, it's not that you have a crush on her," said Kindernacht with a
smirk.

   "I do not!" Kane said indignantly.

   "Yeah?  Then why is you act like that whenever she's around?"

   "Like what?"

   "Like someone just tied a knot in your tail."

   "LIES!" shouted Kane.

   Kindernacht just chuckled and laid down on his back beside Kane, looking
up at the stars.  "Sure, whatever you say."

   Kane looked at the gray werewolf, noticing that he had tied his mane back
into a ponytail with a leather thong.  "Well, it doesn't take a psychic friend to figure out what you're thinking about right now."

   "Oh, really?"

   "Yeah, you're worried about Darkmoon, like the rest of us."

   Kindernacht sighed.  "You're right."

   "Don't stress about it," said Kane.  "There's nothing you can do. 
Besides, Darkmoon's more than capable of taking care of himself."

   Kindernacht blinked, and continued to stare into space.  "I just wish I
knew where he was, or what he was doing."

   "Be careful what you wish for, you might get it," advised Kane.  "I have a
feeling we'll be hearing from him soon enough."


Chapter 2 - The Hunter and the Hunted

   26 Aug. -  STATUS:  Population estimated at 87.  Rate of growth:  11%  
Interaction with outsiders:  None.  Notable changes in behavior:  None. 
PROCEDURE:  Continue observation until population reaches 120, then begin
Operation Alpha.

   Parks lit another cigarette and stared into the glowing computer monitor. 
This was the fourth one this hour.  Dealing with the animalpeople always
seemed to cause him to need more cigarettes.  He puffed hard, adding to the
thick cloud of smoke that hung in the room like a miasma.

   Parks continued to type his updated report from his new office.  He had
found it abandoned about a month ago, and had since moved in to it.  It was
located at the end of a long, unused hallway in the basement of the NSA
building.  The walls, ceiling, and floor were solid concrete, completely
soundproofing the room.  The room itself was meanly furnished,  it contained
only a polished wooden desk with a simple wooden chair.  On the desk sat
Parks' small computer, and beside it sat the even smaller printer.  The only
sources of illumination were the computer screen, and the the single
fluorescent light suspended in the ceiling above above him.  But what Parks
liked best of all about the office was the secret passage hidden in the
hallway around the corner from his office, which allowed him to sneak into
and out of the the NSA building unnoticed if he needed to.

   Parks had since moved up in the Agency.  Regal was now a full-flegded NSA
project, with Parks as its leader.  His assignment was to monitor the
progress of the Pack and report back to the President.  Parks had wanted the
authority to act under his own judgments, but the Agency chiefs said that he
was too aggressive, and had ordered him not to move until he received an
order from either them or the President.

   Parks sent the report to his superior's e-mail box, then he opened up
another file.  This one was a bit different.  In the past month, several
strange things had been happening to him.  Parks had been keeping track of
them.  First the bushes in front of his house were torn up.  Then he had
received a mail bomb.  His old office had been torn apart.  The list of
vandalism slowly peaked into more serious offenses, the latest being the
death of one of the scientists of Regal three days ago.  His throat had been
ripped out.  Messy, the coroner had said, very messy.

   He knew who was doing it.  He knew what the final strike would be.  He
even knew was was happening to him.

   He was being hunted.

   The thought of being hunted was unnerving, even to Parks, and he had begun
to take steps.  He shut off the computer and ground out what remained of the
cigarette.  He removed his coat from the back of his chair, put it on, and
left the office.  He decided that he would use the secret passage to leave
tonight, since he was afraid that he may be jumped on his way out of the
building.

   Darkmoon remained crouched in his hiding place, waiting for Parks'
arrival.  He shifted around a bit.  He had past edgy about an hour ago, and
was now just plain anxious.  It was getting late.  How long was Parks going
to stay inside his little cement fortress?

   Darkmoon had been steadily harrying his prey for the past month.  He was
aware the Parks knew what was going on, he even suspected that Parks knew it
was him.  But that didn't matter.  Tonight Parks was going to die.  And maybe
himself as well.  Darkmoon thought back to his Pack, remembering the worried
expression on LoveBear's muzzle when he told him he was going after Parks. 
He hoped that he would make it back, but if he was destined to be a martyr,
so be it. 

   Suddenly, he saw a movement in the back of the NSA building.  Parks
emerged from behind a large bush and started walking towards the street. 
Darkmoon knew about Parks' hidden entrance, he had seen him use it two days
before.  He could smell the fear on Parks.  The scent made his fangs itch
with anticipation.  Darkmoon tensed himself up, his muscles like coiled
springs, and prepared to strike.

   Parks quickly made his way across the lawn towards the street.  He was a
bit nervous tonight, he knew it was getting close to the time when his hunter
would make the death blow.  He glanced over his shoulder and quickened his
pace a little.

   Darkmoon sprang from his hiding place with a snarl.  His front paws
connected with Parks' shoulders, knocking him to the ground with the coyote
on top of him.  Darkmoon tried to rend Parks' throat, but Parks squirmed out
of the way at the last second, and Darkmoon's jaws closed around Parks' right
shoulder.  Darkmoon continued to snap at his face and neck, but Parks
continued to avoid those deadly fangs, receiving only small scrapes instead. 
Parks quickly drew his gun and shot blindly at Darkmoon.  The bullet went
cleanly into the side of Darkmoon's left hip, and stuck uncomfortably near
the bone.  Darkmoon gave a surprised yelp of pain, leapt off of Parks, and
ran for the shadows.  Parks quickly stood up and shot twice more at Darkmoon,
but he had already gotten away.  Two security officers ran towards Parks,
alarmed by the sounds of gunfire.

   "Sir, are you all right?" one of the asked.

   "I'm fine," retorted Parks.  He had a few superficial scratches on his
face and neck, and the right shoulder of his jacket has torn up, but the skin
had not been broken.

   "Do you need an ambulance?"  asked the other guard.

   "No, that won't be necessary.  I would, however, like to get to a phone. 
I have an important call to make."  To 1600 Pennsylvania avenue, thought
Parks.  Looks like we'll be getting stared sooner than we thought.


Chapter 3 - An Invitation to War

   "Floor 16," said Kane.

   "Arrgh!" shouted Bear X.  "When is gazpacho soup day?"

   "November 25th.  Had enough?"

   "No!"  Bear X had accompanied Kane on his journey around the settlement,
and was passing the time testing Kane's knowledge of of British comedy.  The
bear frowned, trying to think of a really hard one.  "Who did the London Jets
play in the European divisional playoffs?"

   "The Berlin Bandits.  Give up yet?" said Kane with a smirk.

   "No!  Ok, Blackadder.  In what year was Richard the Fourth crowned..."

   "Sh!" said Kane.  "I hear something."

   "Oh, it's not that you don't know this one," replied Bear X.

   "Just listen,"  whispered Kane.

   Bear X pricked up is ears.  Kane was right.  He could hear the sound of
car engines, and the were getting nearer.  He could smell exhaust, and the
scent of humans, at least six of them.  And gun oil.  There was definitely
gun oil in this equation.

   "Go back to the settlement and get as many weres as you can," said Kane
with a hint of urgency in his voice.  "I'll hold them off."

   "Alone?  Kane, I..." said Bear X.

   "GO!"  shouted Kane, cutting him off.

   The bear turned and lumbered off towards the settlement at top speed. 
Kane looked in the direction of the approaching vehicles.  He could make out
their faint shapes in the distance.  One jeep, and two small black
limousines.  Must be some government big shots,  thought Kane.  He realized
his hands were involuntarily trembling.  He clenched them into fists to stop
them.

   The cars slowed down as they approached the lone werewolf.  There were
five men wearing military outfits in the jeep.  All of them except the driver
carried an assault rifle.  The door to one of the limousines opened, and two
more men in military suits stepped out, along with a man in a gray suit and
burgundy striped tie.  The second limo remained still.  Three of the men in
the jeep jumped out of their vehicle and joined him.  The man whispered a
command to one of them, and they formed a ring around him, holding their guns
at the ready.

   Kane's hand began to slowly reach for his katana as they approached him. 
Not yet,  he thought.  Let them make the first move.  "What are you doing
here?"  asked the werewolf.

   "I've got a few questions for you,"  announced the man in the suit.

   "I don't answer questions at gunpoint,"  said Kane defiantly.

   The man in the suit whispered something to one of the guards, and they
relaxed a bit.  Kane knew that they could bring their weapons back up in a
split second if need be.  This was not a good time to take any chances.

   The suit addressed Kane again.  "A werewolf attacked a government official
last night."

   "So?  There are other werewolves out there besides us,"  said Kane.

   "We believe it may have been the renegade werewolf, Darkmoon,"  said the
suit.  "Is he hiding here?"

   Kane stiffened.  This was dangerous ground.  "No, Darkmoon isn't here. 
What's more, we haven't seen him in the last month and a half."

   If the suit was surprised, he didn't show it.  "We are aware that Darkmoon
is a member of your pack.  If he is not here, then where is he?"

   "I don't know.  Darkmoon is acting independently.  For all I know, he's
still in the states,"  said Kane.

   Now the suit showed his surprise.  But he didn't have time to reply.  A
low, ululating howl was heard to his left, and it was answered by another to
his left and another in front of him.  The soldiers  readied their weapons,
scanning in all directions for trouble.  Kane spotted several shapes moving
in the woods around him.  He recognized them by sight and scent.  Dreamwolf,
Windigo, and Kindernacht were on his left; Bear X, Coyote Osborne, and
Silverwolf were on the right;  Katmandu and LoveBear were behind him.  Now
the weres had the advantage of numbers.  The smell of fear emanating from the
suit and his guards increased exponentially as more shifters approached.  The
presence of his packmates and the smell of fear from the humans emboldened
Kane.  "Darkmoon is not here.  You're wasting your time looking for him here,
and what's worse, you're wasting ours.  Get off our land."

   The suit set his jaw, but said nothing.  He turned around an snapped his
fingers.  The soldiers accompanied him back to his limo, and then returned to
their jeep.  The three vehicles slowly pulled away from the group of animal
people, and disappeared in the distance.  The shifters all approached Kane,
all of them talking to him at once.  "What was that all about?"  seemed to be
the most commonly asked question.

   "Some government suit come looking for Darkmoon,"  said Kane.  "Apparently
he made some sort of hit on a government big shot."

   "Do you think it was Parks?"  asked Kindernacht.

   "Definitely,"  replied Kane.

   "What are we going to do?"  asked Dreamwolf.

   "We can't do anything until we know Darkmoon's story,"  said LoveBear.

   "Agreed.  There's nothing we can do to help Darkmoon right now.  If we try
to help him, history might repeat itself."  said Kane.

   LoveBear looked down at the ground.  He remembered what had happened the
last time someone tried to help Darkmoon.  The group began to dissolve, the
weres moving into smaller groups to talk about what had happened privately. 
Kane walked off by himself, away from the other groups.  When he was certain
he was alone, he collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily.  He closed his
eyes and tried to bring his heart rate back into the double digits.

   Parks lit another cigarette, the sixth one in an hour.  He puffed on it
hard as he reported back to the agency.  "No, he wasn't there.  Don't worry, 
I wasn't seen."

   "Well, there's nothing we can do.  Report back to HQ,"  said the man on
the other side of the line.

   "What?  Now see here, I..."

   "Louis, listen.  I know how you feel.  And I sympathize with you.  But I'm
under orders from the President, and he doesn't want this..."

   Parks switched off the cellular phone and threw it into the corner of the
limo in disgust.  He took another hard puff on the cigarette.  This was
ridiculous.  He had been kept waiting long enough.  And damn the President
and damn his superiors if the thought otherwise.  He ordered the driver to
stop.  The time had come to up the stakes.

   It was some hours past midnight.  Most of the fires in the settlement had
burnt down to a few glowing embers.  Dreamwolf hadn't been able to sleep, he
was too excited.  Everyone else had fallen asleep hours ago.  The wolf lay
awake by one of the dying fires, looking at the starry sky.

   "Couldn't sleep, huh?"  It was TrotFox.  He sat nearby, looking at the
same sight.

   "Yeah," said Dreamwolf.  "I'm too excited.  What do you think about it?"

   "I think it bites,"  replied the fox-man.

   "Yeah, same here."  agreed Dreamwolf.

   "Well, there's nothing we can do about it."

   "Aren't you worried?"

   "Of course I'm worried."  TrotFox sat up and looked at the werewolf.  "But
there's no point in worrying about it.  We can't do anything about it."

   Dreamwolf stared back at him.  "I suppose you're right."

   And then all hell broke loose.



 

Chapter 4 - A Traitor in the Midst

   The flute continued to play; a slow, sweet, and languorous melody that no 
one heard except for the two werewolves, who continued to dance in the 
moonlit clearing.  Kane didn't know where the music was coming from.  He 
really didn't care.  His attention was focused on his partner.

   Katie Bubenik was dancing with him.  Her left arm was wrapped around his 
waist, her right hand rested gently on his left bicep.  Kane held her close, 
and she laid her head on his shoulder.  The moonlight gave a pale cast to 
Kane's black fur, but Katie's was still that wonderful shade of chocolate 
brown.

   The flute continued to play.  Katie closed her eyes and sighed, her breath 
ruffling the fur on Kane's chest.  Kane sighed back.  She was so warm held 
against him, her fur was so soft.  Katie's left hand traced a circle on the 
fur on Kane's back.  Kane held her even closer, inhaling her rich scent.  Her 
right hand left his arm and joined with her left on his back, and she gave 
him a gentle squeeze.  Her hands moved upward, reaching the shoulder blades, 
where they...

   "Kane!"

   Huh?

   "Kane!!  KAAAANNE!!!"

   The dream faded from Kane's mind like twinkling gossamer.  His eyes 
snapped open.  For some reason, he felt uncomfortably hot.  He spotted 
Dreamwolf running towards him in a panic.  "What the hell is going on?"  
shouted Kane, more than a little angry at his rude awakening.

   Dreamwolf stopped, almost out of breath.  "One of the houses is on fire!"

   "What!?  How?"  said Kane, anger turning to panic.

   "I don't know!  Come on!"  Dreamwolf began to run back the way he came.  
Kane followed him.

   The "houses"  were actually old cabins that used to belong to the park 
when it was still a campground.  Most of them were old and in need of repair.  
Few of the animalpeople used or even went near them.  Only a few certain 
groups chose to stay in the cabins, like LoveBear and Todd.  Strange, thought 
Kane.  How could they have caught on fire?  The bonfires are all almost dead 
now, and they were nowhere near the cabins.

   As the two wolves approached the inferno, Kane saw that Dreamwolf told the 
truth.  The cabin was completely ablaze, the air was full of pungent smoke.  
Several other shifters stood nearby, gaping at the sight.  Kane spotted 
LoveBear in the group.  "What in God's name is going on?"  he asked the bear.

   "I don't know,"  he replied.  "One minute everything was quiet, the next, 
poof!  We've cleared off the area around it, so the fire will just burn 
itself out.  There's no way we could put it out by ourselves; the lake is a 
good mile distant."

   The cabin continued to burn.  "I don't get it," said Kane.  "The cabin's 
empty.  What could have caused this?"

   Kane had no time to further ponder the situation.  At that moment, one of 
the nearby cabins suddenly ignited.  The entire building seemed to be 
engulfed in fire so quickly, it was almost as if by magic.  Kane gasped, that cabin was not empty.

   "Help! Hellllllpp!"  shouted a voice from within the cabin.

   "Todd!"  shouted LoveBear.  He dashed towards the burning cabin.

   "LoveBear!"  Kane followed him.

   LoveBear sprinted towards the burning building, and sprang through the 
doorway, splintering the burnt door.  Kane shied back from the intense heat 
of the flames for a moment, then darted in after the bear.

   Darkmoon had been running since he had gotten out of the taxi, which had 
taken him to the boundaries of the Pack's territory from the airport in 
Denver.  The pain in his hip was steadily increasing; even thought the doctor 
had removed the bullet and stitched the wound shut, it had since reopened 
partway.  Ignoring the pain in his hip and the complaints from his aching 
muscles, Darkmoon ran faster towards the camp.

   Darkmoon had been running towards Heart's Dream since Parks had shot him 
last night.  He had found a street doctor who had been willing to patch him 
up for an exorbitant fee, then he had caught the next flight to Denver.  He 
had even bribed the cabbie to break the speed limit coming out of the city.  
The only thing he had done on the plane besides try to sleep was to tap in to 
the NSA files through his laptop.  Was he saw doubled his anxiety.  He 
discovered that Parks had not only been monitoring the Pack, he had even 
infiltrated them.  A double agent was living amongst the Pack, a werewolf no 
less.  A few more minutes probing the files had earned Darkmoon the agent's 
identity:  a former scientist who had invented some sort of nerve serum for 
Parks.  Darkmoon jaw dropped when he saw the name.  He knew who he was.  He 
had seen him embrace Kindernacht.  Rage filled him, and he made a resolution.  
If he could not kill Parks, he would settle for killing his pawn.

   Darkmoon continued to run frantically towards the camp.  He soon spotted 
the settlement in the distance.  He smelled smoke, and knew he was too late.

   Hot.  It was so hot.  Hotter than a July heat wave.  Hotter than the 
coffee they used to serve at the ski lodge at Cannon Mountain.  Hotter than a 
pepperoni and sausage pizza fresh out of the oven at Papa Gino's.

   The flames were everywhere.  Even the few panes of glass that still 
remained in the windows seemed to be burning.  Through the fire and smoke, 
Kane spotted Todd,  huddled in the back of the cabin, his head down to 
prevent inhaling the smoke.  LoveBear continued to sprint towards his 
husband.  A massive crossbeam collapsed in front of him, engulfed in flames.  
The bear didn't even flinch, he just lifted it up and heaved it out of his 
way.  Kane was struck dumb for a moment, appalled at the bear's strength.  He 
made a mental note to try to stay on his good side.

   The two weres quickly reached Todd.  He put his arm around LoveBear's 
shoulder, and stood up weakly.  Kane looked back towards the doorway.  "We're 
trapped!"  The beams had broken down in front of the cabin's only exit.  To 
risk going back that way would kill them.  LoveBear rose, deposited Todd in 
Kane's arms, and smashed through the back wall of the cabin, creating a hole 
just big enough for the werewolf and the human to step through.  The three of 
them collapsed outside, panting from lack of oxygen.

   "Thank the Spirits!"  said Todd, hugging LoveBear's neck.  "I thought I 
was a goner."

   "Oh, brilliant," said a voice that dripped sarcasm.  "You deserve an Emmy 
for that performance."  

   The speaker stepped out of the shadow of the trees behind the burning 
cabin.  It was Parks.  He looked a little bit worse for wear since Kane had 
last seen him.  His hair was mussed, and his face was scratched.  "You did 
this,"  said Kane, feeling the anger build inside him.

   Parks just laughed.  "What do you think of my barbecue?  Mmm...roasted 
werewolf."  

   "Do you actually think you'll escape here alive?"  said Kane.

   "Maybe not, but at least I'll know I took your Alpha down with me!"  And 
with that, Parks drew his gun and aimed it at LoveBear's head.

   "NO!"  shouted Todd, throwing himself in front of his husband.  A small 
dart suddenly appeared in his shoulder.  Todd fell to the ground, and felt 
himself go numb.

   "Todd!  TOOOODD!!!" shouted the bear as he shook his husband.  Todd did 
not respond.

   "Well, not who I was aiming for, but it will do!"  shouted Parks with an 
evil leer.

   "NOOOOOOOO!!!!"  LoveBear's scream echoed through the heavens.  He knelt 
over Todd's still form, tears beginning to stream down his muzzle.

   Kane tore his eyes away from LoveBear to go after Parks, but when he 
looked, Parks had already disappeared.  Kane heard a howl of rage over 
LoveBear's sobbing.  He turned and saw Darkmoon, out of breath and sweating, 
standing over the bear.

   "Darkmoon!  What are you doing here?"  asked Kane.

   "I've come to kill a traitor."  Darkmoon looked down at the dart still 
stuck in Todd's shoulder.  He touched LoveBear's head gently.  "LoveBear, 
that dart that Todd was shot with.  It was filled with some sort of nerve 
poison.  And Kane invented it."

   "What!?"  said Kane and LoveBear in unison, both of them looking at 
Darkmoon.

   "Kane is Parks' spy,"  shouted Darkmoon, pointing an accusing claw at 
Kane.  "He was sent here to watch us.  He's been working for Regal all 
along."

   "Darkmoon!  Stop it!"  yelled Kane, averting his eyes from the coyoteman.

   "You're the one who really killed Todd!"  Darkmoon's voice had risen to a 
fever pitch.  "Die, traitor!"  he screamed, and he sprang at Kane.

   The force of the blow sent Kane sprawling.  Darkmoon was on him in an 
instant, his jaws seeking Kane's throat.  Kane fought to keep him away.  
Darkmoon raked Kane's face with a swipe of his claws, then ripped him again 
across the chest.  LoveBear just sat there, motionless, not knowing whether 
to get involved or not.

   Kane was now bleeding heavily from several bad wounds.  He rolled on to 
his stomach, gasping for breath.  Darkmoon kicked him in the ribs.  Kane felt 
and heard his ribs snap like tree branches.  Suddenly, a car was heard in the 
distance.  Darkmoon looked up, and he realized that Parks was escaping.  He 
looked down at Kane once more.  "I'm going after Parks.  I leave you to die, 
or to be brought to justice by the Pack."  and with those words, he was gone.

   Kane tried to stand up, but the world was spinning around him. The ground 
beneath him was stained red with his blood.  He raised himself up on one arm.  
"Darkmoon...wait..." he gasped, and then he fell, the sweet numbness of 
unconsciousness taking away his pain.  LoveBear looked down upon the still 
form of his husband.  Behind them, unnoticed, the cabin continued to burn.


Chapter 5 - Revelations

   Kane could not remember ever being in so much pain in his life.  Every muscle in his body screamed like an abscessed tooth.  Boiling acid scoured the inside of his skull.  It even hurt to breathe.  Opening his eyes was sheer torture.  He moaned slightly as his eyes got used to the light, then looked at himself.

   He was lying on an old cot in one of the cabins.  His body was a mess.  
His arms and torso had been slashed wide open by Darkmoon's sharp claws, but 
now they had been bandaged.  Kane recognized the small, careful stitches and 
meticulous bandages as the handiwork of Greywolf.

   Then, as if summoned by Kane's memory of the shaman, Greywolf was sitting 
in a chair across the room.  His ribs shouted in protest when he tried to 
move to get a better look at Greywolf.  Kane moaned again, and sank his head 
back down on to the cot.  He heard someone shouting, "He's awake!" from 
outside.

   "Welcome back to the world of the living,"  said Greywolf.  "How do you 
feel?"

   "Weak, light headed, and my body feels like it's ready for the compost 
heap,"  groaned Kane.  "Other than that, I'm fine."  Kane looked at Greywolf, 
then noticed a small bandage on the shaman's arm.  Looking down at his own 
arm, Kane saw a similar bandage in the same spot.

   "You had lost a lot of blood,"  explained Greywolf.

   Kane smiled.  "You're the last real doctor in the world, Greywolf.  So, I 
guess I should be thanking you for bringing me back from the dead.  But why'd 
you heal me, anyway?  You must have heard what Darkmoon said about me."  
There was the sound of running feet outside.  A dozen weres burst in to the 
cabin, and all of them began to talk to him at once.  There was a smell of 
hate coming from more than one of them.  Greywolf's voice rose above the din.

   "Everyone out!"  he shouted, herding them back towards the door. "He's not 
going to answer to any of you until he's recovered."

   So that's it, thought Kane.  They want to hear my confession.  "Let them 
in, Greywolf.  They're entitled to know."

   Greywolf looked at Kane for a moment.  Then he stepped away from the 
doorway.  The weres came back in, all of them looking at the injured 
werewolf.  "You all have a right to know," he said.  "Since I'm dying anyway, 
it won't make much difference."

   Greywolf shook his head.  "Sorry Kane, but you're not going to die.  
You've got a few cracked ribs, and you've been pretty badly torn up, but 
there wasn't any serious damage to your organs."

   Kane stared blankly at the ceiling.  "Oh well.  Not that it makes much of 
a difference.  Greywolf, would you kindly get the metal box out of the trunk 
of my car?  The keys are in the glove compartment."  Greywolf nodded, and ran 
out of the building.

   Kane looked at the assembled shifters.  TrotFox.  Coyote Osborne.  Bear X.  
ShadowFox.  Windigo.  Dreamwolf.  KatmanDu.  Miklos.  Silverwolf.  Katie.  
Kindernacht.  "All right.  This is what happened."

   Peter sat on the floor of the college dorm, idly watching the news.  Every 
channel was showing it.  A tanker called the Amanda K had been taken over by 
a group of "werewolves" who were now holding the crew hostage.  The junior 
flipped through the channels, but it was on every network.  Damn, he thought, 
this is worse that the shit you read in Weekly World News.  What's next?  An 
interview on Letterman?  "My kid's a werewolf" on Oprah?

   The phone on top of the television suddenly gave an angry ring.  Peter 
snapped off the TV and answered it.  

   "Hello?...Yes...That's correct...Now?...Very well.  I'll be there in 20 
minutes...Good bye."

   Peter hung up the phone and grabbed his jacket and car keys.  His 
application for an internship had been accepted, and he was going to be 
interviewed for the position.

   One month later.

   "Dr. Carusi?"

   "Yes, Peter?"

   "Here are the results you wanted."

   The scientist turned away from his laptop and began to leaf through the 
stack of papers Peter had just handed him.  "Good.  Excellent work, Peter.  
You may continue with the experiments."

   "Okay,"  said Peter.  He began to leave, then turned back to Dr. Carusi.  
"Sir?"

   "Yes?"

   "I don't suppose there's any point in asking you what it is I'm supposed 
to be working on, is there?"

   Dr. Carusi frowned at Peter.  "Look, I told you, this is a hush-hush 
project.  Big time government stuff.  Maybe once you're working with us 
permanently, but until then, just mind your own business."

   "All right,"  Peter turned and left the office., secretly delighted at the 
idea of having a permanent job working at the lab.

   Two more months later.

   "I'm sorry, Dr. Carusi, but it's a personal matter and I must resign 
immediately."

   "I'm sorry to hear that.  You're absolutely certain?"

   "Yes, I am."

   Dr. Carusi shook Peter's hand firmly.  "You've got a lot of potential, 
Pete.  I hate to lose you."

   Peter left the building quickly, pausing for only a few moments to hand in 
his ID badge at the front desk.  He headed to his car and drove out of the 
parking lot with tears in his eyes.  Peter drove as far as he could away from 
Boston, heading north into New Hampshire.  He pulled off of the highway just 
inside the New Hampshire border.  He abandoned his car and ran into the 
woods, tearing off his suit as he went.  He Changed, and let loose a keening 
howl that had been building up inside him ever since he found out four days 
ago that he, too, was a werewolf.

   Oh Gods, what have I done?

   "So that's what this was all about,"  said Coyote.

   Kane closed his eyes.  The memory of those months hurt more than anything 
that Darkmoon could do with his claws.  "I felt like I had signed the Pack's 
death warrant when I found out."  He opened his eyes again.  They were wet 
with tears.

   "Then what happened?"  asked ShadowFox.

   "I later found out that Carusi had joined Regal.  And he took my research 
with him,"  replied Kane.

   Greywolf entered the cabin, holding a metal box about half the size of a 
shoebox.  "Thank you, Greywolf,"  said Kane.  "The combination is 156."

   Greywolf carefully slid the tumblers on the tiny lock into place, then 
snapped it open.  The box contained an assortment of small bottles and vials 
containing a variety of medicines.  "Where'd you get all this?"  asked 
Greywolf.

   "A week before graduation I raided the lab for anything I could use," 
replied Kane.  He selected one of the bottles and opened it.  He took one of 
the tiny orange pills out the bottle and swallowed it.  "Thought it might 
come in useful someday."  Greywolf gave him a questioning look.  "Just a 
painkiller, Greywolf, it's not cyanide."  He deposited both the keys and the 
bottle in the box and closed it.

   "So why did Darkmoon call you a traitor then?" inquired Kindernacht.

   "My name's in their records.  He must have found it there."  Kane sighed.  
The painkiller began to take effect; he felt the tight bands of pain 
encircling his chest relax, and his headache settled to a tolerable pool of 
molten lava.  "Speaking of which, where is Darkmoon?"

   "He's gone," said KatmanDu.  "His trail got cold near Denver.  As far as 
we can tell, he's still after Parks."

   "And LoveBear?" asked Kane.

   KatmanDu sighed.  "He's in one of the cabins.  He's been crying over 
Todd's body ever since."

   "Shit,"  said Kane.  "What is Todd's condition?" he asked Greywolf.

   "He's in a coma, and fading fast.  He's got maybe a week to live, tops.  
I've tried everything I know." replied Greywolf.

   "Couldn't you make an antidote?" asked TrotFox.

   Kane shook his head.  "That is impossible.  The serum is designed to kill 
nerve cells.  There is nothing I can do except give him a decent funeral.  
But right now it's LoveBear I'm more worried about."  He winced, and sat up 
in bed.

   Greywolf placed a paw on his shoulder.  "Kane!  You've got to heal!  You 
can't be walking around in your condition."

   "That's too bad.  LoveBear's the one who really needs our help right now."  
Kane managed to stand up, a bit wobbly all the same.  The crowd parted as he 
left the lodge, and and then followed him as he walked to the cabin where 
LoveBear maintained his sorrowful vigil.

   Todd's body lay silently in calm repose on a mildewed mattress in the 
center of the cabin.  Next to him, LoveBear sat unmoving, eyes fixed on his 
lover's face.  He hadn't moved since Todd had been lain there. Some wondered 
which was the one in the coma.  The fur under his eyes were wet, but his eyes 
were clear and dry.  He'd burned himself out of tears already.

   A shadow fell over Todd's body when Kane stepped into the doorframe.  
LoveBear sniffed the air twice, but didn't raise his head.  His voice was 
quiet, calm.  The voice of a dead man.  "Yes, Kane?"

   Kane knew exactly what he had to say, and it was going to hurt both of 
them.  "Come on out. I have to tell you something."

   LoveBear didn't move, didn't look up.  "Whatever you have to say, Kane, 
say it."

   Kane stepped into the small building.  Outside, a crowd had gathered, 
peering into the windows.  Kane could hear them, feel their eyes on the two 
of them.  He wondered if LoveBear even knew they were there.

   A silence rose up between the two of them, Kane unsure of where to 
proceed, LoveBear unwilling to do so.  A bird sang nearby.  It seemed 
unnaturally loud to Kane.  Finally, the bear broke the stillness, his voice 
never changing pitch or volume.  "How?"

   Kane looked down at Todd's body lying on the mattress. His voice was flat.  
"I really don't want to talk about that."

   LoveBear shifted slightly.  "Kane, I asked you a question, and if you have 
the answer and you don't give it to me, I'm going to rip your throat out 
where you stand.  Now, how did this happen?"  For all the inflection in his 
voice, the bear might have been commenting on the weather.

   Kane swallowed once.  "Parks hired a man named Carusi on for Regal.  I 
used to work for him.  Before that, though," he continued hurriedly.  "A lot 
of the stuff I was doing for him involved some high-power toxicity tests.  
This could be the result of that."

   LoveBear's eyes never leaving Todd's face.  "That's not what I asked you, 
Kane.  How did Parks get here personally?  That's not his style.  Sending in 
a team of CIA hitmen to wipe us out, sure. Coming here himself to pump me 
full of drugs?   No.  He knew he could get in and out without a scratch.  
You've been on patrol here every day.  But the one day you're not, Parks 
shows up. That's too coincidental."

   Kane's eyes widened.  "Are you accusing me of conspiracy?  You actually 
believe Darkmoon's fantasy?"

   LoveBear still didn't look up.  "I've trusted Darkmoon with my life.  I 
still trust him.  I don't know you Kane.  All I know is that my husband is 
dying because of a chemical that you made or helped make.  And Parks knows 
who you are personally.  Not just, ФI know his name.'  I wouldn't put it past 
Parks to take some young innocent pup and twist his brain into new and 
different shapes for fun."

   Kane started to fume.  "I can't believe this! You actually think I let Parks come walking in here and shoot Todd!"

   For the first time, LoveBear looked up; his voice was still calm.  "No, 
Kane.  I think you let Parks walk in here and try to shoot me, only he 
missed.  Now, is there an antidote to this toxin?"

   Kane shook his head.  "No. It can't be cured.  I'm sorry--"

   Finally, the bear's voice showed something other than dead stillness.  
Rage, just barely contained.  "You're sorry?  How do you think that makes me 
feel?"

   Kane bowed his head.  "I don't expect you to forgive me.  Todd is going to 
die, and there isn't a damn thing we can do about it.  But we can still save 
Darkmoon."

   LoveBear blinked.  "What are you talking about?"

   "Darkmoon will die if he tries to attack Parks again.  If we don't stop 
Parks now, we'll all die, one by one.  So I'm taking the initiative.  I'm 
going to bring Parks to justice.  He's hurt us once to often.  Todd will be 
avenged, and Darkmoon will be saved from himself."

   "A pretty speech, Kane, but why should I trust you?"

   "Because you have nothing left."

   LoveBear rose. "All right.  I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt.  But 
if you're lying to me, there won't be a safe place for you in the word to 
hide from me. You've got one shot at this, Kane. We're going after that 
bastard. Get your crap together. I'll meet you in fifteen minutes." He knelt 
down and placed a single kiss on Todd's cool lips, then touched a claw to his 
husband's cheek. Kane could just barely make out the bear's words. "I'll be 
back before you know I'm gone, love." With that, he stood, turned, and strode 
out of the cabin without a word, past the throng of others waiting outside.

   Kane stood there, alone in the cabin with the Todd's comatose body on the 
mattress, shocked into stillness.  He'd gone in expecting a suicide, and 
found a tri-state killing spree. He thought before that this was a bad idea; 
now he knew. LoveBear was a timebomb ready to go off at anything. He turned 
and left the cabin quickly  to gather his possessions.

   The crowd outside parted as Kane left the building. There was faint smell 
of hatred coming from a few of them.  Kane hated himself for forcing LoveBear 
into something that was really his own fault.  He hated what he had done, and 
he hated himself for doing it. One of them group touched Kane lightly on the 
shoulder as he passed by.

   "Kane," said Kindernacht, "I want to come with you."

   "No way," he said, "It's too dangerous.  I couldn't stand it if you got 
hurt."

   "Kane, I thought about what you said, and you're right.  Parks has tried 
to hurt us once too often.  It's time we did something about it."

   "Ben, I..."

   "I refuse to stand idly by while my home is destroyed.  It happened once, 
it won't happen again."

   It was then that Kane then understood.  Kindernacht was still thinking 
about his island and the Amanda K.  The idea of his home being destroyed 
again struck a sensitive nerve with him.

   "Fine, let's get going."  said Kane. As he turned to leave, he saw Katie 
and Greywolf standing nearby. He looked at Greywolf.  The shaman's concern 
stood plainly in his expression.

   "I guess there's no point in asking you to reconsider, is there?" he 
asked.

   "No, there isn't," said Kane.

   "Well, at least take these then," replied Greywolf, handing him the metal 
box and Kane's sword.

   "Thanks."  Kane buckled the sword back into place on his back.  It felt 
much heavier than usual.  He turned his attention to Katie.  There was still 
a trace of hate coming from her.   "Goodbye, Katie.  I'll come back soon."

   "Think it's sweet of you to say that, hotshot?"  she flared.

   "No, I..."

   "Don't get a flat tire in the way out."  She turned and fled into the 
woods. Kane felt a twinge in his chest, and he knew that his heart had been 
broken.

   "You'd better drive, Ben," he said to cover up the awkward moment.  


Chapter 6 - Scars of Battle

   "Kane!  NO!" screamed LoveBear.  He was kneeling over the corpse of his 
husband.  Todd's body had been carved open like a Thanksgiving turkey.  His 
calm face was now only a mess of blood.  Kane stood over the couple, holding 
his sword almost negligently in his right hand.  The blade was stained bright 
red with blood.  Darkmoon crouched nearby, staring first at LoveBear, then at 
Kane, then at Todd's body.

   "I told you he was a traitor!" roared Darkmoon, foam dripping from his 
lower jaw. Kane didn't flinch at Darkmoon's comment.  He calmly walked over 
to the coyoteman, and with brutal efficiency, sliced him open from collarbone 
to navel.  Darkmoon's blood splashed everywhere, even on Kane.  He didn't 
care.  He loved the feeling of being drenched in blood.

   "Kane!  Stop it!  Please!"  pleaded Kindernacht, who was now standing by 
LoveBear's side.  Kane looked at him, his once golden yellow eyes now crimson 
red.  Kane snarled at him.

   "I will kill you all!!"

   Slash.  Slash.  LoveBear and Kindernacht joined their companions in death.  
The four corpses formed a furry red pile in the center of the clearing.

   Kane blinked.  The red haze was gone from his vision, and his eyes became 
golden yellow again.  The stench of blood hit him like a battering ram, and 
he collapsed to one knee, trying to breath in the blood-soaked atmosphere of 
the clearing.  Around him, he spotted shadowy figures moving in the trees 
just at the periphery of his vision.  They were animalpeople.  He recognized 
their voices.

   Coyote Osborne.  "He really is a traitor."

   Greywolf.  "He can't be trusted."

   TrotFox.  "He might turn on us."

   The shapes disappeared back into the forest, all expect one which came 
nearer.  The shadow moved with a lithesome grace, slowly towards Kane, until 
he realized who it was.

   Katie.  "Kane..."

   Kane turned his back on her.  "Better not talk to me, Katie.  I might turn 
on you."  He ran from the scene of the carnage, plunging himself in to the 
dark woods.

   Kane ran for miles, uncertain of where he was or where he was going.  He 
finally came to a stop in a small clearing.  A shallow pit lay there.  The 
moonlight made it seem like a portal to another world.  Kane looked at 
himself.  There was blood everywhere, none of it his.  His legs, chest, and 
arms were soaked in the blood of his friends.  He could feel it dripping off 
of his face.  The worst of all was the blood that covered his paws.  He could 
not bear to look at that.  The sword was also bright red with blood.  It 
seemed as it a never ending fountain of it was spewing forth from the hilt, 
staining the once bright blade.  He looked at it, and saw the faces of his 
friends in it.  The ones he had killed.

   "Traitor..."

   Kane threw the sword into the pit.  It stuck handle first into the ground, 
with only the blade showing, upright, like a crimson monolith.  He looked at 
it.  A small pool of blood slowly began to spread from the sword.  Nearby, a 
tiny seeding was trying to grow.  As the blood touched it, it quickly 
withered and died.

   Kane stood at the edge of the pit, closed his eyes, and let gravity 
overtake him.  The sword was now coated with his own blood.

   "Die, traitor..."

   Kane woke up with a start.  He was leaning against his car, about two 
hundred miles from Washington.  His fur was wet with his own sweat, his heart 
was pounding like a sledgehammer.  Nearby, his friends lay curled up, fast 
asleep.  Kindernacht snored peacefully.  LoveBear whimpered in his sleep.  
They had been driving for the last six days, staying to the countryside, 
hunting when it was possible, buying food from supermarkets when it wasn't.  
Most of the injuries Kane had sustained at the claws of Darkmoon had healed, 
with the exception of his broken ribs, which still smarted painfully.  The 
scars they had left were almost too light to see, but they were still there.  

   Kane stood up slowly.  He walked a short distance away from his sleeping 
companions and leaned against a tree for support.  He became aware of a 
ponderous weight on his back.  He slowly drew his katana from it's sheath.  
It made a steely ringing sound as it left it's home.  The moonlight shone 
brightly on the blade.  He looked at it, and saw only his own familiar 
reflection in the blade, albeit a bit more wild about the eyes.

   "Kane?  You okay?" asked Kindernacht from behind him.  It was too much for 
Kane.  The katana slid numbly from his grasp.  Tears began to well up in his 
eyes.

   "I...I can't do it, Ben," he sobbed.  "I can't go on."

   "Kane?"

   "It's too much to bear.  I can't stand this anymore."

   Kindernacht put his arm around his shoulder.  "Kane, calm down, it's all 
right now."

   Kane collapsed to Kindernacht's embrace.  They both sank down to the 
forest floor.  "It was terrible, there was pain, and blood, so much blood..."

   "Shh.  It will be all right now,"  Kindernacht held him close, like a 
mother comforting her cub.  "You'll be all right in the morning."  He 
continued to hold Kane until his sobbing subsided, and he fell asleep in his 
embrace.

   "Do you suppose they're there by now?" asked Katie.  It was the fourth 
time she had asked the question, and it was beginning to get on Greywolf's 
nerves.

   "It's over two thousand miles, they'll get there when then get there," he 
said.  "And I thought you didn't care about Kane."

   "I don't," she responded.  "I'm...just worried about Ben and LoveBear."

   "Riiiiight, sure you are," smirked Greywolf.

   "Go fuck yourself," she snapped.  Greywolf only laughed and walked away, 
leaving her sitting on the steps of the cabin.   She stared out into the 
woods, and wondered what was going on, what he was thinking about, all those 
miles away.

   "Damnit, you best be gettin' back alive, Kane."

   Katie stood up and walked slowly back to the camp. She stopped in the 
middle of the group of cabins and looked around.  All of them were empty.  
Something wasn't right here.  She headed back to the camp at a much faster 
pace.

   Parks sat at his desk in his hidden office in a half doze, reclining in 
his chair, a wide grin on his face.  The smoky atmosphere of the office was 
even thicker than ever.  It was like a small fog blanket that hung 
perpetually in the room.  Parks chewed thoughtfully on the end of his 
cigarette, and chuckled softly to himself.

   Everything was going according to plan.  The misinformation he was feeding 
to his superiors was keeping his wallet full and his nose dry.  All his 
enemies were converging on one spot, where they could easily be eliminated.  
He would finally be rid of that nuisance Darkmoon.  He would also destroy 
their Alpha, that foolish bear, as well as that meddling Kindernacht.

   And Kane.

   Oh yes, Kane would meet his fate.  He and the entire world would learn 
what it meant to fuck with Louis Parks.  The grin on Parks' face broadened.  
He looked down at his cigarette case and noticed it was empty.  He took a 
fresh box of cigarettes from the drawer of his desk and filled the case.  He 
took another puff on the cigarette between his lips, and closed his eyes.  
Things were definitely going his way.


Chapter 7 - Into the Abyss

   The last time Kane had been in Washington, he was on a field trip with his 
eighth-grade class.  The city had seemed so active, beautiful, and full of 
energy.

   Now it seemed cold, polluted, and void of life. 

   Maybe it was the sense of being displaced; most werewolves did not feel 
comfortable in major cities, surrounded by banal humans and choking 
pollution, or perhaps the weight of Kane's objective weighed heavily on his 
mind.  Either way, he definitely felt ill at ease.

   The group had parked the car in an alley, a block away from their 
objective: the NSA building.  From there, they would walk  to their 
destination.  They were wearing their human masks; Kane had carefully hidden 
his katana underneath his overcoat.

   "Once we get inside, how will we find Parks?" asked Kindernacht.

   "I don't know, but I have a feeling he'll find us," replied Kane.

   Kindernacht grunted.  "Are you ready, Kane?"

   Kane took a deep breath of polluted, garbage scented air.  "I'm ready."  
However, he had not taken three steps when a strange feeling came over him...

   ...like someone was watching him...

   A figure jumped off of a nearby fire escape and landed ten feet in front 
of Kane, standing between him and the street.  "So, you're still alive," he 
said.

   It was Darkmoon.  His disguised human mask did not conceal the sound of 
contempt in his voice. His formerly long blonde hair was cut short and black.  
The dark circles under his eyes gave his face a haunted appearance as they 
bored through Kane. "What the hell are you doing here!?"
 
   Kane fought to remain calm.  His hand went involuntarily to his broken 
ribs.  "Looking for you, as a matter of fact.  We're here to help you."
 
   Darkmoon turned his glare on Kindernacht and LoveBear, then returned it to 
Kane. "Your being here might well screw up months of planning and stalking! I 
don't need help! I don't want help! All I want is Parks' blood flowing in my 
jaws."

   "Darkmoon," said Kane, trying to sound as calm as possible, "Parks knows 
you're here.  If you go after him again, he'll kill you."

   "So, you came to save me from myself." Darkmoon's expression remained 
neutral, but his eyes boiled in their sockets. "How noble and touching Kane. 
I'm overwhelmed. If you want to help someone, help Todd but stay the hell out 
of my way!  Oh, I forgot, you helped Todd right into a grave. You are very 
helpful. Tell me Kane, do your victims haunt your dreams??"
 
   That did it. Any pretense of playing "nice" was gone now.  "You're the one 
who brought Parks to us!"  shouted Kane.  "None of this would be happening if 
you weren't so hell-bent on revenge!"

   "Revenge?  Look who's talking!  You came across half the country for 
revenge," growled Darkmoon.  "Parks is mine, and if you try to stand in my 
way, I'll finish you off for good, you traitor."

   The katana made a steely ring as Kane ripped it from it's sheath.  "Then 
fight me, Darkmoon!  Let's see who the real traitor is!"  Kindernacht took a 
step toward Kane, but LoveBear raised his arm and barred him further movement

   "So, you finally show your colors.  Well, that's fine with me!"  Darkmoon 
snarled, and he sprang at Kane, Changing in mid-air.  Kane raised his sword 
and met Darkmoon's charge with a spinning slash that caught the coyoteman in 
the left side, gouging him deeply.  Darkmoon's snarl of rage turned into an 
injured whine, and he fell heavily onto the concrete.  Kindernacht and 
LoveBear quickly rushed to his side.  Kane stood there for a moment, and he 
saw his reflection in the blade, which was stained bright red with Darkmoon's 
blood.  A voice echoed in Kane's head:  "He really is a traitor..."

   "My God..."  Kane recovered his senses.  He dropped the sword and ran 
towards the car.  He tore open the glove compartment and took out the metal 
box that he had stashed there.  He unlocked it as he ran back to Darkmoon.

   Darkmoon was unable to stand but he thrashed violently as Kane approached.  
"Hold him,"said Kane, and Kindernacht and LoveBear held down the squirming 
coyote.  Kane found his objective, the vial which contained codeine, and 
carefully tapped a few drops of the bluish liquid into Darkmoon's mouth.  
Darkmoon's spasms began to subside as the drug took effect.  Kane then turned 
his attention to the cut in Darkmoon's side.  It seemed clean, but it would 
require stitches.  No time for that now; Kane took several large pieces of 
gauze and began to bandage the awful wound, lightly spraying antiseptic as he 
went.

   Darkmoon looked up at Kane.  His eyes were unfocused, and his speech was 
sightly slurred.  "W...why?"

   "Because we care about you, Darkmoon," said Kane.  "and sometimes we must 
be cruel to be kind."  He finished taping the wound shut.

   Darkmoon grabbed Kane's hand, "Congratulations, guess you really can use 
the sword." Darkmoon's body was wracked by a painful spasm. "If your so 
determined to kill yourselves who am I to stop you. Where's my shirt?" 
 
   "You're not going anywhere,"said Kane, "not when that analgesic takes 
effect."

   "Just get the damn shirt!" Darkmoon growled. "You'll need it." 
The effort caused Darkmoon to grimace. 
 
Kindernacht returned with the bloody remnants of Darkmoon's shirt. Darkmoon 
reached into the pocket and pulled out a small, plastic card.  His eyes began 
to unfocus as the medication took effect.
 
  "Take the badge. Passcode's 32770." Darkmoon drifted for a moment and then 
mumbled "Service entrance.... west side... one guard.... basement level." 
Darkmoon's paw went limp as he drifted off into a drugged sleep.  

   "Now what do we do?" asked Kindernacht.

   "He'll be unconscious for a few hours.  The best thing we can do right now 
is put him in the car.  He should be safe there."  Kane sighed, and looked in 
the box of medicines.  He took another vial out of the box along with another 
piece of gauze, and put them in his pocket.  "I've got an idea." 

Chapter 8 - Final Confrontation

   Adam Belote was having a rotten week.  First he had racked up a three 
thousand dollar gambling debt at the race tracks.  Then his wife found out 
and threatened a divorce. Now his doctor told him he had high blood pressure, 
and he had to cut back on the French fries he loved so much.  His position as 
a security guard gave him plenty of time to mull his situation over in his 
head.  He sighed and leaned back in his chair, absently scratching his left 
armpit.

   The door behind him suddenly opened.  The receiving room was suddenly 
filled with light from the afternoon sun outside.  That's strange, thought 
Belote, there aren't any more deliveries today.  Even more strange was the 
fact that there was no one outside.  The door just opened, seemingly by 
itself.

   Belote loosened his gun in its holster and slowly walked towards the open 
door.  The fresh air was revitalizing to his dulled senses.  He stepped into 
the doorway.  Still no sign of anyone.  The door had probably just opened by 
itself, must have been a computer glitch. 

   Then a strong hand held a damp cloth to his face, and the world went 
black.

   The security guard lay unconscious on the floor, handcuffed to his own 
desk.  The phone lines had been cut, and his security card had been taken.  
The three shifters had used the card to gain access to an elevator and were 
now riding it to the basement, mentally preparing themselves for their 
showdown with Parks.  Kane leaned against the wall of the elevator, trying to 
look as calm as possible.

   Kane!  Stop it!  Please!

   Kane looked up at Kindernacht.  "Did you say something, Ben?"

   "Hmm?" he said, taken off guard by Kane's question.

   "No, it's nothing.  Never mind." replied Kane, staring at the floor of the elevator.

  The elevator jerked to a stop, and the doors silently opened, revealing a 
dimly lit corridor.  Kane paused in the doorway, and sniffed cautiously.  
"We're close; Parks is near."

   "How can you tell?" asked LoveBear.

   "Whom else do you know uses Marlboro 110s for cologne?"

   "So what you're saying is these three guys have wandered off to D.C. to 
kill this Parks fellow for shooting the guy who was in the coma."

   Dreamwolf nodded.  "That's basically it," he said to the young, gray and 
white wolf sitting down next to him.

   "Tell me more about this Kane fellow." he asked.

   Dreamwolf stretched.  Well,...uh, what was your name again?"

   "Brokken," said the wolf.

   "Well, Brokken, he's kinda noble, protective, a bit on the eccentric side.  
Since he got here he would always march around with his sword, saying he was 
protecting us."

   Brokken snickered.  "Sounds like a fruitcake to me."

   "No, it's not like that at all.  He really a decent person.  He's just 
trying to help."

   "Why's he willing to chase Parks halfway across the country for revenge 
then?"

   A picture popped into DreamWolf's mind of Kane lying on his deathbed, 
telling the Pack about his past which had haunted him for so long.  "Beats 
me."

   "What about the others? Why did they go then?" asked Brokken.

   "Well," said Dreamwolf, "I think it finally got to them that they're tired 
of being pushed around by someone like Parks.  It was the straw that broke 
the camel's back.  Normally we don't approve of vengeance, but the 
situation's a bit different here."

   "How so?"

   "Before he left, Kane said that he was also going to rescue Darkmoon."

   "Wait a minute, isn't Darkmoon the one who beat up Kane in the first 
place?"

   "Yeah, but I don't think Kane holds it against him.  He just wants the 
Pack to be safe, and he doesn't want to see Darkmoon throw away his life."

   Brokken stood up and yawned, showing rows of long, sharp teeth.  "He still 
sounds a few marbles short.  I'm starved.  Let's go hunting."

   "Okay," replied Dreamwolf.

   The shifters had followed the aroma of tobacco to a single door at the end 
of a long hallway.  "Come in, come in," said a bored sounding voice on the 
other side of the door.  "I've been waiting for you."

   Kane opened the door.  There, behind a small desk, sat Parks.  The walls 
and floor were bare concrete, and the dim overhead light was obscured by 
cloud of cigarette smoke.  "Well now, what can I do for you?" he asked 
sarcastically.

   "You can die slowly, and feel all the suffering you've caused us," said 
Kane.  If Parks wanted a verbal battle, then so be it.

   "Oh my, such strong words.  It's a shame it's come down to this, isn't it, 
Kane?"

   I told you he was a traitor!

   "Shut up, Parks," snarled Kane.

   Parks chuckled softly to himself.  "Such a waste of such a talented mind."

   He can't be trusted.

   "I'm through playing your games, Parks!"

   "Oh, really? I'm sure you'll find this one very entertaining."

   The whole world spread before Kane's eyes.  Multitudes of people shouting 
his name aloud and bowing before him.  Beside him, Parks stood with his arm 
around Kane's shoulder.

   "Think about it, with your science and my politics, we could go far..."

   A world united in peace, people living in happiness, all thanks to Peter 
Johnson and Louis Parks.

   "Nothing could stop us..."

   "Kane!  NO!" screamed LoveBear.  He was kneeling over the corpse of his 
husband.  Todd's body had been carved open like a Thanksgiving turkey.  His 
calm face was now only a mess of blood.  Kane stood over the couple, holding 
his sword almost negligently in his right hand.  The blade was stained bright 
red with blood.  Darkmoon crouched nearby, staring first at LoveBear, then at 
Kane, then at Todd's body.

   "I told you he was a traitor!" roared Darkmoon, foam dripping from his 
lower jaw. Kane didn't flinch at Darkmoon's comment.  He calmly walked over 
to the coyoteman, and with brutal efficiency, sliced him open from collarbone 
to navel.  Darkmoon's blood splashed everywhere, even on Kane.  He didn't 
care.  He loved the feeling of being drenched in blood.

   "Kane!  Stop it!  Please!"  pleaded Kindernacht, who was now standing by 
LoveBear's side.  Kane looked at him, his once golden yellow eyes now crimson 
red.  Kane snarled at him.

   "I will kill you all!!"

   Slash.  Slash.  LoveBear and Kindernacht joined their companions in death.  
The four corpses formed a furry red pile in the center of the clearing.

   Katie entered the clearing. "Oh...Kane..."

   Kane looked at her, his eyes blazing like the fires of Hell.

   Slash.  The pile was now complete.  He saw his reflection in the bloody 
blade of his sword, a red mask of hatred and anger.

   He loved what he saw.

   He looked back at the pile of his former friends.  A great feeling of 
vacancy filled his chest.  He leapt upon the pile, and began to feast, his 
hungry jaws devouring the souls of those who had tried to stop him; those who 
had tried to...

   STOP IT!

   In one fluid stroke, Kane drew his sword from beneath his coat and pointed 
it it Parks.  "You make me sick, Parks!  You're a disgrace to science!"

   Annoyance flickered briefly across Parks' face.  "I'm so sorry to hear 
that, now I'll have to kill you." And with that Parks pressed the return 
button on his computer.

   Electricity flew from the walls into Kane and his companions.  Pain, 
exquisite, seething pain, wracked every nerve in Kane's body.  Kindernacht 
fell to the floor in anguish.  LoveBear dropped to one knee.  Parks stood up 
and calmly walked towards Kane, who was curled up in a fetal position on the 
floor.

   "You were such a disappointment," he said with mock regret.  Parks kicked 
him in the ribs.  Kane felt the air rush out of his lungs.  "But that doesn't 
matter, there is someone else to fill your vacancy.  Behold your last service to me!"

   A figure stepped out from the shadows of the corner of the room.  Kane 
heard LoveBear gasp in shock.

   It was Todd.

   He stood there, his face calm, his eyes blank.  Parks walked over to him.  
"Such a wonderful serum you made for me, Kane.  It renders the victim totally 
under my command.  It even created the phony coma to lure you here so I could 
take care of all my problems in one fell swoop.  Then it was just a matter of 
sneaking him out of your camp.  God, I'm smart," He turned his attention to 
Todd.  "I think it's time we gave these pests a demonstration of you 
abilities, Todd."

   Parks drew his gun and handed it to Todd. "Kill the bear.  Shoot him in 
the head."

   Todd began to walk, seemingly in a trance towards the fallen LoveBear.  He 
cocked the gun and pointed it at LoveBear's head.

   "I know your in there, Todd.  Don't you remember? It's me! Chris!"  
LoveBear's voice was almost breaking.

   Todd gave no response to LoveBear's pleas.  He looked his husband straight 
in the eyes, and fired.


Chapter 9 -- Last Rights

   The air inside the office was as still as a tomb.  Parks sat in his chair, 
one eyebrow shot up in surprise.  Todd held a gun in his his outstretched 
hand.  A thin trail of smoke came from the barrel.  A tiny bit of metal lay 
on the floor just beside Kindernacht's tail.

   LoveBear still stood.  Todd had missed.

   The bear's eyes were filled with tears.  He looked in to the vacant eyes 
of his husband once again.  "I know you're in there.  Please...Don't you 
remember?"

   Todd's hand began to shake.  "I...I..."  Park's other eyebrow shot up.

   The gun toppled from his grasp.  "I remember..."  Todd began to fall 
forward.  LoveBear caught him, hugging him close.  They were both crying 
freely  "I thought I would never see you again." gasped LoveBear.

   Park's jaw dropped.  He snarled, his eyes filling with hate.  "How sweet, 
I think I just got a cavity," he spat. He reached into his desk drawer and 
drew forth a second gun.  "No more of these games!  Your time has come!"

   "NO!!"

   In one movement, Kane reared back and threw his sword at Parks.  The sharp 
blade struck him just underneath the ribcage, and sheared through his body.  
He had just enough time to see the katana sticking out of his chest before he 
died.

   For a moment no one moved.  Then Kane slowly stood up, calmly walked over 
to Parks' dead body.  He drew his leg back and kicked the dead man in the 
face.

   "That's for what you did to Darkmoon," he said.  He removed the sword from 
the corpse, wiped it clean on Parks' jacket, and resheathed it.  He turned 
and faced his awe-struck friends.

   "And that concludes out tour of Washington D.C.  Please exit to the rear."  
He flashed a wild grin, and began to walk toward the door

   "Wait a minute," said Kindernacht.  "We're not done yet."  Kindernacht 
darted around the desk and began to tap away at Parks' computer.

   "Uh, Ben," said Kane.  "This really isn't the time or the place for 
computer games."

   "Give me a second," replied Kindernacht.  He reached for the print button 
and pressed it.  The printer sprang to life, and deposited a small pile of 
paper onto the desk.  Kindernacht stood up.  "Ok, let's go."

   "What's this?" asked Kane.

   "It's evidence," said Kindernacht.  "Evidence that Parks deliberately 
defied a presidential order to leave us alone.  It should slow down any 
investigation of his death."

   Kane grinned broadly.  "Ben, you're a genius."

   LoveBear cleared his throat.  Yes, well, that's all very well and good, 
but how are we going to get out of here?  That guard has probably waken up by 
now."

   "Leave that to me," said Todd.  He left the office and began to walk down 
the hallway.  He began to examine the walls of the hallway.  "There's a 
secret passageway around here," he explained. "I saw Parks use it before."  
His fingers found a hidden button on the wall, and a door slid open.  "Let's 
get out of here."

   The passage led directly to the outside of the building, just behind the 
bushes on the east side of the building.  After a quick glance to make sure 
no one was watching, they quickly left the building and returned to the alley 
where Kane had left his car.  Upon their arrival, they received a nasty 
shock.

   Darkmoon was missing.

   The car doors were still locked, but the coyoteman was gone.  "Oh no," 
said Kane.  "We've got to find him."

   "There's no time!" replied Kindernacht.  "The NSA creeps might be after 
us!"

   Kane paused and considered the situation.  As usual, Knidernacht was 
right.  "You're right, let's get out of here," said Kane.  As he opened the 
driver's side door, he looked out at the street.  "I'll come back for you, I 
promise."  He turned the key in the ignition, sped out of the alley, and 
headed home.

   Kane felt a great surge of relief as he turned on to the highway outside 
of Washington.  He looked in the back seat.  LoveBear had Changed, and was 
sprawled in the back seat, snoring gently.  Todd lay on top of him, also in 
slumber.  Kane sighed.  He would have to vacuum out of his car again.

   "I wonder what made him like that," he said to himself.

   "Hmm?" Kindernacht roused himself from his half-doze in the front seat.

   "Parks.  I wonder what made him hate us so much."

   "Got me," yawned Kindernacht.

   Parks' consciousness floated formlessly in the strange void between 
worlds.  A swirling, reddish haze was all that was visible to him.  He 
realized he was dead.  Parks' anger rose to a fever pitch, and the mist moved 
faster before his eyes.

   "I can't believe I lost!"  His mouth did not move, but he heard the words 
in his mind.  "Tell me, what must I do to get my revenge against him?"

   "Stop whining, Parks," said a dismal voice inside his head.  "You're even 
more incompetent then the government you worked for.  I should abandon you, 
but I'm giving you one last chance.  Use it wisely!"

   The mist began to glow an unholy shade of violet.  Parks' mind exploded 
into a world of heat and pain.  The glow intensified until it seemed brighter 
than the sun.  Parks could only cry out as his awareness disappeared.

   "Master Davison!!"

   "Hey," said Kindernacht.  "I just thought of something."

   "What?" asked Kane.

   "If you didn't make that serum for Parks, he probably would have used an 
ordinary bullet.  Todd would be dead."

   Kane looked back at LoveBear and Todd.  Both were still asleep.

   "In a way," said Kindernacht.  "You saved his life."

   Kane blinked.  He felt as if an enormous pressure has been removed from 
his shoulders.  "I never thought of it like that."

   Agent Kenneth McCormick walked stiffly down the hall to Parks office.  
Parks had told him that he was not to be disturbed until after five o'clock.  
Well, five o'clock had come and gone, and Parks wasn't answering his calls.

   As he entered the office, Kenneth smelled a powerful scent looming over 
the cigarette atmosphere.  He looked behind the desk and saw Parks, laying in 
a pool of his own blood.  "Oh my God.." he gasped.  He leaned over the body, 
his mouth hanging open in shock.

   Parks' hand suddenly came to life and wrapped itself around Kenneth's 
throat.  The agent gasped, and try to break away, but the hand had a grip of 
iron.  He slumped to the floor, his windpipe crushed.  He was dead.

   Parks sat up, and looked at himself.  His suit was still wet with his 
blood.  The cut that Kane's sword had made in his chest had been sealed, but 
there was still a deep scar there.  Oooh, he was going to pay for that.  He 
was going to pay dearly.

   Parks stood up and cleaned himself off as best he could.  He was going to 
go home, change his clothes, and go hunt down Kane.  As he turned to leave, a 
voicemail message came over the phone.

   "Parks, it's me," It was the voice of the head of the agency.  "I've been 
talking with the president, and...I'm sorry, I don't know how else to say 
this...you're fired, Louis.  Turn in your badge and your gun at my office."

   Parks' hands balled into fists.  He turned and stormed out of the office.  
The BS of being a nice guy was over for him.  No one messed with Evelyn 
Davison and got away with it.

   Wait a minute.  I'm not Evelyn Davison, I'm Louis Parks.

   Then why did I just...

   Oh God, whats happening to me!?


Chapter 10 -- The Hero's Journey

   Kane felt a great sense of relief as he pulled into the old parking lot.  
The others dashed out of the car before it had stopped.  Kane sat in the 
driver's seat for a moment, staring at the keys.  He shut off the engine, ant 
put the keys in the pocket of his trench coat.He got out of the car, took off 
the coat and left it on the driver's seat, and Changed.  It felt better than 
he had ever remembered before.

   The familiar scents of his friends reached his lupine nose, filling him 
with joy.  He paused only to strap his katana to his back before he began to 
walk into the forest.  At the first "They're back!" he lost control and 
started to run, a howl coming from his throat.

   There was a great deal of joyful pouncing and hugging going on when he 
arrived.  Kane was instantly surrounded by a mass of furry bodies, offering 
him congratulating pats and friendly headrubs.  One of them broke apart from 
the group and caught Kane in a fierce hug.  Kane looked down and was 
surprised to see Katie, squeezing him tightly.

   "I told you I'd come back," said Kane.

   "Yeah...uh..." said Katie.  "Look, I'm sorry about that stuff I said 
before, I was really pissed at you."

   "I was pretty pissed at myself, too."  replied Kane.  He wrapped his paws 
around Katie's waist, and for a moment they stood alone in the forest, 
hearing only the sound of a bird that sang in the trees above.

   A pair of massive arms wrapped around Kane's shoulders and yanked him off 
his feet, ruining his moment.  Kane squirmed in the tight grip and managed to 
turn himself around so he could get a good look at his assailant, Bear X.  "I 
knew you could do it!" the bear shouted, squeezing Kane even tighter.  Kane 
gasped as the air shot out of his lungs, and he felt his ribs creak.  The 
bear set him down, and Kane inhaled deeply.

   "I'm glad to see you to.  Oh, by the way, 1485."  Bear X stood there with 
a puzzled look on his face.  It took Kane a full ten minutes to stop 
laughing.

 
   A shaft of cool, lemon light flickered across the horizon, illuminating 
the lonely figure as he made his was through the forest.  The sounds of 
joyful yips and howls seemed far off in the distance to the lone figure 
walking through the woods early that morning.  Those memories would have to 
satisfy him for another two weeks.  Kane was heading back to his car.  He had 
decided to leave early in the morning, while everyone was sleeping off last 
night's revel.

   Kindernacht was waiting for him in the parking lot.  "Leaving so soon?" he 
asked.

   "Yeah," said Kane.

   "You're going back for Darkmoon, aren't you?"

   "Yes, I am.  I promised him that I would come back."

   Kindernacht stared at him, but said nothing.

   "I wanted to thank you," said Kane.  "For coming along."

   "Why is that?" inquired Kindernacht.

   "I didn't think I could make it by myself, and face down Parks.  I would 
have lost it long before I ever made it to Washington. I wanted to thank you 
for supporting me."  Kane unbuckled the katana and handed it to Kindernacht.  
"Take it.  I don't think I really need it anymore."

   Kindernacht accepted the sword with astonishment.  Kane turned towards his 
car for a moment, then looked back at Kindernacht.  "Oh yeah, one more thing.  
A while back, you told me that you didn't do heroes or heroics, or stuff like 
that."

   Kindernacht nodded.

   "Well, Ben, if someone stands up for what they believe in, if they face 
the odds to do what's right, and if they believe in themselves, then that 
make them a hero.  I'd say you qualify."

   "You too, Kane," said Kindernacht.  He looked into Kane's eyes.  Although 
he was still young as a man and even younger as a werewolf, his eyes and 
voice belied his age, speaking with a wisdom that was beyond his years.  They 
embraced one last time.

   "I'd better get going.  If I don't I'll find some other reason to stay 
here," said Kane.  He entered the car and drove out of the parking lot, 
leaving Kindernacht standing alone on the cracked pavement, holding the 
katana.

    "He went back for Darkmoon, didn't he?"

   It was Katie.  Kindernacht had not heard her approach.  He looked at her 
and sighed heavily.  The sword felt terribly heavy in his paw.  "Yes, he 
did," he said simply.

   Katie sniffed.  "Didn't even say goodbye."  She lifted her muzzle and 
howled, a high pitched, keening howl that echoed over the treetops.  A few 
seconds later, another, deeper howl was heard.  It merged with the first one, 
and together they floated up towards the heavens, where they lay to rest just 
over the rising sun.

                                                    --Fin


Afterword

   "What?!  That can't be it!  What happens next?  Does Darkmoon get rescued?  
Tellmetellmetellme..."

   Calm down.  Although this story is over, the story of Kane and his 
packmates is far from over.  I left the ending somewhat open-ended in the 
hopes that another aspiring young author out there is willing to carry on the 
torch. 

   Promises to Keep has been one of the greatest projects I have ever 
undertaken.  It has been a lesson in both imagination and creativity.  
William Shatner once wrote that "Writing is both an agony and an ecstasy."  I 
think I now know what he meant.

   Thanks go out to my packmates who have been willing to take part in this 
adventure.  TrotFox, Coyote Osborne, Bear X.  ShadowFox, Windigo, Dreamwolf, 
KatmanDu, Miklos, Silverwolf, and especially Katie Bubenik, who allowed me to 
take such great liberties with her character.  Thanks also go out to all 
those on AHWW and slash.net who have read my works and given moral support.

   Thanks also go out to Gary "Darkmoon" Bernard, for creating such a great 
villain (Parks),  and to Christopher "LoveBear" Hughes for his helpful 
suggestions, and to his husband Rod for being such a good sport.

   I'd also like to take my virtual sombrero off to Ben Goodridge, who 
continues to inspire me with his writings, and for creating the Virtual Fire 
series.  Kudos to you, Ben.

   Promises to Keep has been a growing experience for me.  As Kane grew and 
changed during his adventures, I grew and changed along with him.  This has 
been a very rewarding experience for me, and like to once again thank 
everyone who made it possible again.

   What a long, strange journey it's been!