[star478]

As they were driving (well, technically Brayden was the one doing all the driving), Leo looked out the window, watching the snow blow past the truck as they went.

"I guess," Leo muttered, not really feeling happy that they were near the cabins for whatever reason. Could be because of the prgnancy. Could be something else. Whatever the case maybe, all Leo knew was that he had an uneasy feeling that only got worse when Brayden opened the door to the truck and got out. "It's not your fault Brayden. The same thing probably would have happened to someone else anyway. Fate is funny that way, you know? I realize now that I can't go back and change things no matter how much I want to. I'll just have to live with it is all. And the consequences that come along with it too."

Leo climbed out of the truck and just stared at Braydn's hand, heart racing.

'Does he really want me to hold his hand?' Leo thought to himself, heart racing, before mentally shaking his head. 'Pull it together Leo. He only wants to hold your hand in order to prevent yourself from falling and possibly harming the babies.'

Leo, despite his body's reaction, grabbed Brayden's hand anyway. Not because of the comfort it gave him (although it did. Damn hormones!), but because it was to keep the babies safe. That was all. Or so Leo's rational male human mind was telling him.

"Lead on," Leo said with a nod and a smile.

[SRuiz]

Brayden felt reassured holding Leo's hand at least. He was making sure both him and their growing young was secure. He could easily lift the male up, despite him being around a certain weight, but that probably would make Leo feel a bit awkward even further. Brayden himself felt a bit awkward, but also a bit protective.

"Your friend though" he simply said as his feet dug into the thick snow. "He didn't ask for it. What happens if he gets...sporadic?" Brayden looked at the cabins, seeing a few of them here and there. The male was just that close to escaping, but no one could hear him scream in that storm. In any human standard, Brayden was expecting him to freak out, but how much he would was to be determined. He focused back on the slope as he led Leo to the top, giving them both an almost complete view of the entire area.

"The cave is just.over here" he simply said.

((How close to going to school are you? I just had my uncle's funeral Saturday and had to handle some things with school this week. ))

[star478]

(Classes for me resume August 25, this coming Monday, US time.)

"I have no idea," Leo said as he followed Brayden up the slope. "Trevor might freak out when he finally finds out, but I cannot be for sure. Yes, he's my friend, but I have no idea how he'll take to finding out that he's pregnant. With werewolves no less."

Leo sighed as they reached the top of the hill and looked at the cabins.

"It seems like only yesterday we first moved into the cabins, thus beginning these whole crazy events," Leo muttered more to himself than to Brayden. "Yeah. I'll wait till we reach there to confirm if it's the same cave Trevor and I found....before the night I ended up going into heat and getting pregnant."

[SRuiz]

((25th for me as well. If we get to busy again, want to craft this into a story?))

Brayden walked down the slope first, merely reflecting on Leo's words. Werewolves. Leo and his friend were pregnant. While one seemed to take the news, chalking it up to fate, the other one had to accept a fate he more than likely did not want. And what of the perpetrator? What would happen when that "time" came? Brayden really hated how this was all turning out truthfully. He led them down the slope to a very familiar place.

"You know about the cave, eh?" He chuckled before glancing at the dark entrance. "I imagine you both didn't find anything fancy about it?"

[star478]

(I'm not 100% sure what "craft it into a story" means. I am; however, 100% sure I can make 5-10 minutes in between my studies in order to quickly think and type out a reply. On weekends; however, I can make even more time because, obviously, it's the weekend.)

Leo followed Brayden down the slop toward the cave.

"Yeah, we do," Leo said being caeful to watch his footing so he wouldn't slip and fall down the slope. "And yes, we didn't find anything fancy about it. Trevor found a faint blood trail in the snow and he followed it to the cave. All we found in there was a bunch of cups with some beer in them still, others were empty. Basically, the cave looked like there was a party in said cave at some point before we had arrived there the first time. Nothing particularly interesting."

Leo didn't tell Brayden about the silver bullet casing Trevor had found, thinking that Brayden would either a) go into a rage or b) not react to it at all.

[SRuiz]

(It wasn't a complete thought that I thought I deleted v.v I was meaning turning what we did so far, adding in a few details here and there and making it into a story where we would probably have enough time for that, but granted you said you could still work around it, there's no need lol. I hope the semester turns out great for you.))

Brayden looked at the remains inside the cave. A party was held there indeed for many to pass the time until the season was in full bloom. The thought of not showing his face crossed his mind. A lot of what if's drowned his thoughts, especially the main question: what if he was there soon enough to take the shot instead? Maybe things would have played out a bit differently, but she was lured there. Tears partially formed as he growled lowly. That man had to pay soon. That faded slowly when his attention focused back on Leo and the cave.

"Yea, a party went on a bit, but there's more to this place..." he glanced at a small hole among many crevices. He placed his hand inside deeply, his nails sharpening as he pressed deeply before twisting a slab inside around. A makeshift door began to open up from within, thin, but sturdy layers of rocks revealing steps that led deeper inside. "Stay close. Ground is mostly moist and humid and the way is narrow." He placed his arms around Leo protectively and...affectionately.

[star478]

(Ah. I see. I hope this semester goes well for me as well. XD )

Leo looked at Brayden, slightly frightened, when Brayden growled lowly. Leo then furrowed his brow in confusion when Brayden mentioned that there was more to this cave.

"What do you mean there's more?" Leo asked as he watched Brayden insert his hand into a hole. "It's only a cave. It doesn't even go that...far...."

Leo stopped and watched in surprise as a door then steps appeared leading deeper into the cave.

"A-alright," Leo said in surprise. He then blushed when Brayden placed his arms around Leo. He even surprised himself by eventually smiling and moving into Brayden's protective and.....affectionate embrace a bit. "Lead on...my protector."

[SRuiz]

((Stuck near halftime a bit. Using it to post lol))

Brayden smiled a bit as he did just that, leading Leo onwards into depths unknown. Even for eyes like his, he would not take chances, especially with someone in the process of being trained. As his nails extended a bit, he scratched them along the surface, creating sparks as they fell into the resting torch nearby. Within seconds, the fire came, but unlike naturally, other torches lit as well while the cave door blended back in with rocks and small catacombs. Brayden continued by heading down the steps, walking a small distance before they came to a huge expanse.

"And just like that, we're under part of the mountains." He walked towards the center form made of rocks and began igniting the torches nearby. "This is part of what I wanted to show you." Brayden revealed a mural on the wall, displaying various creatures at war with humans. "Even in old times, the cycle has been ongoing. Minotaurs. Satyrs...almost anything you can name that has a name have been lived...live on this world and certain figures wish to drive them out. It's what happened to the dragons, though they never originated here mostly."

[star478]

(Oooh you sneaky little beast you. ;) :P )

Leo shivered a bit at the sound of Brayden's claws against the stone walls. He never liked that sound, even before the recent event that occurred. He also flinched at the suddenness of the torch light after so long in the darkness. After blinking the spots from his eyes, Leo had to hurry and catch up to Brayden since he had continued on in that amount of time.

Once he had gotten caught up, Leo stopped and stared in awe at the mural that Brayden had materialize seemingly out of the darkness, completely ignoring Brayden's statemement of being under part of the mountains.

"Wait, dragons, satyrs, minotaurs, and other mythical (now) creatures were once real?" Leo asked, brought back to reality. "Lemme guess, the dragons were hunted to extinction by groups of humans like my family: Hunters. What happened to the others then and where are they if they're still around? Minus werewolves of course seeing as I'm with a werewolf and pregnant with werewolf children. And where did the dragons originate if not here?"

Leo leaned against a nearby wall, being careful of the torches lining it.

"Can you care to enlighten me more on this 'cycle' thing besides what you've already told me?" Leo asked. "That is, if there is more to add to it. I mean, I'll have time to figure things out on my own, but I'd like to have a better idea of what fate got my into."

(Not exactly what I wanted to post, but eh *shrugs* at least it's something)

[SRuiz]

((lol they were stuck calling a touchdown or something))

"Yes. Some have gotten so desperate to the point they literally harvest humans. It goes without saying what vampires do." He chuckled a bit, but the question about dragons was interesting. Everyone wanted to know about that mystery. "There's a small nest actually not too far from here in Canada and another near Scotland." The irony of that, especially when they went.into the lake. "But yes, your family....many actually started this blood hunt since the days of the Holy Crusades. If it was "wicked" it had to go. The legend to the dragons however were that they were....are celestial in spirit and that when they die, they return to the stars. Not sure how true that is as they are the most secluded and dangerous among us all."

He left the mural alone, walking over to another wall in the slightly cold cave. Among the walls were books laying directly under large circles each of different color, shades here and there to depict the moon and their cycles. "There are four known cycles and one rare, which is the one we've come across now. The blue is the most common that happens more often. This cycle entails a regular season. The red is not so.pleasant, though it should be noted that the moon really doesn't reflect this actual deep color. Red signifies blood at which we do have an uncontrolled shift. We lock ourselves up during that cycle as the signs become apparent within the day."

His blue eyes glanced at the green colored moon and the pink hidden by moss. He picked up the book beside it.

"The yellow is a regular cycle as well. The green represents fertility at during the mating season, it increases the likelyhood of having more to the already growing litter. And now here we are with the pink...the soul link cycle.
." He began reading through the old book in hopes of finding more answers to it for him to explain. "This cycle as you know by now links one soul to that of the deceased, but reading this further, it also connects another or more souls to the same fate, be they blood or associated ties..." Brayden lowered the book a bit, reflecting on the thought. "Not just your friend, but your entire family may go off like some wavering signal. It wasn't your clothes that caused the beast to mistake him. He actually smelled like he was in heat and by being connected to you, he was able to conceive. How close are you to your aunts, uncles, cousins?" Brayden knew he was close to his parents and siblings if he had any, but it was overall bad. The hunters could pick any lustful lycan off from the comfort of their own homes. It was perfect...too perfect. "Someone knew this cycle would happen and set it accordingly...!"

[star478]

(Must have been a ball of fun LOL)

"Would be a plausible explanation as to why they haven't been seen then," Leo muttered as he followed Brayden away from the mural and to another wall with books inside circles of varying colors. He was going to ask what the circles and book were for, but Brayden began the explanation ahead of Leo's asking.

As Brayden explained the moon and cycles, Leo listened intently, deermined to learn how and why this happened to him and Trevor.

He paid even more attention when Brayden got the cycle they're currently in, or so Brayden says. If someone in his family had known about the current cycle the werewolves were in right now, then this was no mere chance. It was, indeed, intentional. But who would have known the cycles of the moon?

"It does sound likely that someone knew about the cycle," Leo said thoughtfully. "However, I have no idea who it could be. more importantly, whoever did know either didn't intend Trevor being involved, or did but it ended up not turning out the way they wanted. And....it worked out exactly as they had planned with me..."

[SRuiz]

"Regardless of how it happened, it happened" a voice echoed throughout the partially dark cave as the sound of boots walking across the partially wet ground trailed around. "They may have missed the mark, but not the full effect."

Damian merely smirked as he reached his hands for the book. "When you spoke of the situation the other day, I had to find out what is known about this cycle and despite it's pretty color, it's also the dangerous to humans because of the risk it poses, especially if they're pregnant. It happened around 50 years back. One in the same position as your current mate killed a female in heat, effectively taking their place. The same thing happened, but not with a good ending for the young. Within that frame though, a turning point also arised." He pointed his fingers at Leo a bit. "You can spread the "curse" on to anyone you're affiliated with along with them if they stay in contact with you long enough."

"You mean the cabins" Brayden simply asked, not expecting an answer.

"Exactly. If we send them back, they could take out their seal, you could rescue them both or something and the actual hunters would fight for their lives in an entirely different way. Looks like a win-win on our end."

"You said humans run a risk with the pregnancy?"

"Yes. If a werewolf isn't able to kesp the young insurance calm on the full moon they are born, they may kill their parent unintentionally and without the support of their "mother", they in turn die. Pups are almost like the actual wolves and dogs in their early days despite the actual human features. They need their mother's scent in order to desire nourishment from them. If they die, you get the point."

[star478]

Leo listened to Damian's tale as well as Brayden's responses, instinctively--and unconsciously--inching closer to Brayden. As Damian told his tale about another who ended up in the same situation as Leo, he practically paled with fear. Then Damian said something about Leo's family and some kind of seal, which made Leo's confusion equal his fear....but his fear was still greater than his confusion.

"E-excuse me," Leo said with a raise of his hand and a slight, nervous squeak to his voice. "Wh-what is this seal you're talking about that my, er, m-my family has set around our cabins? They've....never told me anything about any of this. I'm....new to this if you hadn't noticed."

[SRuiz]

((lol it was. My aunt graduated from the opposing team and she was talking a lot about how they would win only for it to backfire :D ))

Damian chuckled. Was he that frightening? He simply shrugged the male's nervousness aside as he began to answer the question.

"A seal is a ward. Wolfsbane, Mountain Ash, Silver dust to name a few for us. Anything that can keep us from attacking effectively and when placed around a location, it becomes a seal. It can be from their flower forms to common household items like incense. Heck, they could easily eat it in soup without harming themselves." Damian placed the book back in it's rightful spot. "If you feel the need, there are countless more stories to be told within that book, but for me, I have a few other things to tend to. There were other humans that met a similar incident that have been rising to the surface slowly. I merely came to read further on the situation as well as check on how sturdy the caves will hold for the last day of the month."

He stared at another set of steps that led deeper down before slipping off into the shadows. Brayden merely waited until the illusive figure was out of sight before focusing back on Leo.

"There's more to this cave if you want to venture further or I could answer any more questions you may have."

[star478]

(Ah. Nice. XD )

"Oh," Leo said, blinking. What would happen if he tried to return to his cabin for a few of his things? Would he be zapped, prevented from entering, or something else? He was going to ask Damian that seeing as he's the Alpha and, obviously, the leader, but he had already disappeared before Leo could ask, so he had to ask his....mate that question.

I just have one more question and then we can continue exploring," Leo said and, without waiting for Brayden's response, continued on. "What would happen if I'd try to get into the cabin I was staying in in order to retrieve, say, my computer? Would I get zapped, unable to cross, or something...else?"

[SRuiz]

Brayden chuckled. "No. Not for you as you're in between human and wolf as are the kids. Doesn't mean it won't make you nauseated here and there. Your only actual best bet is getting the friend you haven't told the full truth to to go and find the source..." That sounded so great of a plan if the male would not freak out and other things. "That is if you would be up for getting rid of it yourself. It starts with knowing who is the herbalist in your family of hunters though which you probably wouldn't know as they were trying to induct you all currently."

[star478]

"Well, that's a relief," Leo said. He then sighed. "Sadly, I have no idea who is the herbalist in our family. It could be anyone for all I know. If I'd ask, they'd probably get suspicious and what not. Though, if I do go back--keyword neing if--I'd know where the seal is since, as you said, I'd probably get nauseated, more so than what I will with the pregnancy perhaps. Once I know where the seal is that way, I could try and break it by rubbing my foot in the dirt in the general vicinity of said seal. Of course, that would allow the rest of you and others in as well so....it's a double-edge sword doing that.

"Honestly, Trevor would either be a) to confused to really care b) completely freak out like you said or c) be extremely curious that he won't do it until we tell him what's going on."

Leo sighed and looked at the set of stairs that led further down into the cave.

"But we'll have to play it by year--or week more likely," Leo said. "I would like to explore this cave a little more. If that's alright with you?"

Leo also wanted to ask Brayden if he'd make sure Leo would survive the birth--Damian's words were still echoing in his head--if for ust the children's sake, but he wanted to explore the cave more and wanted to push the worry to the back of his head for later. He swore to himself that he'll ask Brayden about it when the opportunity arises.

[SRuiz]

"As Damian said, they have conventional means of protecting themselves. It would be a place or person that makes you more nauseated. As for your friend, I doubt he couldn't care too much when there's a ticking time bomb within him."

Brayden sighed a bit, dropping the subject a bit. They were not there to fully discuss what was going on, rath escape it for the time being. It was not flustering, but merely unavoidable.

"Very well. There are two places I need to reveal anyways. Let's tackle the most obvious first though."

It was obvious to him at least. He went in the same direction as Damian, holding Leo's hand once more even if he was capable of getting down on his own. As they went further down, the sound of water increased and a bit of heat as well. When they came to another clearing in the dark, another entrance in the underground revealed itself with water splashing down in front of them partially.

"This is a healing spring of sorts. It becomes active on the full moons though and is mostly used to soothe the pregnancy as it advances as well as help with other ailments like poisoning. Taking the water from this spot however holds no real value, so it really is ineffective unless it's used here. On the moon, it radiates a bright moon light glow, so it's quite a better sight to see. Other than that, just a regular hot spring."

[star478]

Leo just nodded and followed Brayden further down into the cave, blushing when Brayden took Leo's hand in his.

As they got further down into the cave, Leo could hear the sound of water (and smell it a bit as well) as well as feel the bit of heat.

When they reached the source, Leo stared at the spring as Brayden explained what it was and what it was used for.

"It only heals during full moons?" Leo asked in awe. "Huh. Will come in handy when I give birth."

Leo chuckles.

"Though, it should also help in other ways too," Leo continued thoughtfully. "The warm water should help to relieve sore, achy muscles even when it isn't a full moon."

Leo then looked up at Brayden.

"Am I correct?"

[SRuiz]

Brayden smirked.

"Yes, it has quite the healing properties in more ways than one." He grinned a bit with a tease as he placed his arms around Leo once more. "Someone feeling sore?" It was a one-way trip into the springs if so, though that was one of the main reasons why he brought the male down there. It was just them for the time being, under the mountains. "The other place I was mentioning was the Alpha's cabin hidden away from most. He's quite the powerful force on a full moon, so they in general have to stay a bit further from most. It's a haven to those pregnant though. He has to protect the main branch of the pack after all."