Donnie watched everyone around him warily. Since they’d moved across the border into Dragon’s Keep, he stayed close to Lady and the puppies. They stayed close to Tammy, Kennedy and Brian. Lady was desperately trying to comfort Tammy over the loss of Lulu to the point of ignoring her own grief. When he’d objected, she merely told him there’s be time enough to howl later, but for now, the pups came first. He hadn’t said anything else on the subject, merely gone back to standing guard over them.

He wanted to believe they were safe. But it had been months since he’d felt safe. First, there’d been the attack. His father had rounded them all up into the storm cellar on the farm. They’d waited there for days and days until the food and water had run out, his father alternately swearing at him for bringing Khan and Tweenie, Khan’s mother, with them to berating himself for having ever supported the High Human council. Donnie had lain awake in his sleeping bag, listening to his parents argue about trying to make it to the border of Dragon’s Keep and asking for ‘political’ asylum. His mother had called his father a fool and told him that the Dragon’s Heir would never allow them inside the borders because of what he’d done. His father had responded that he’d willingly let the Dragon’s Heir kill him if she would only let the children cross the border. He’d begun to worry then, and Khan had repeatedly told him it would be okay, they’d manage. They were safe.

Donnie had stopped believing in safety after they’d come out of the storm cellar. They’d been attacked by his 5th grade teacher. Tweenie had died that day, defending them from the crazed man. It hadn’t saved Donnie’s mother, though. She’d bled to death from the bullet wound to her chest even as her husband had killed her attacker. Donnie had tried to stop the bleeding. Tried and failed.

In the weeks that followed, there were more attacks as they tried to find other survivors. They’d lost his oldest brother, then his sister. The remaining two brothers had both gotten sick within days of each other. The first had died quietly in his sleep. The second had died screaming for their mother.
His father had decided they would try for the border then. They gathered what supplies they could, then set off. At first, Khan had kept them from being detected by any other people. His father had insisted on keeping hidden. However, Donnie had ignored him when they came across a family being attacked by three of the ‘sick’ people. Donnie had ignored him because there were two little kids, three puppies, two adult dogs and a teenage girl who was trying to keep herself between her attackers and the kids. Khan hadn’t even hesitated and followed his lead.

When it was over, Lady and her pups, the two little kids, Khan and himself were still standing. He was clutching a very large, very nasty looking knife that still dripped blood and gore. He still wasn’t clear on what had happened, only that Khan was very proud of him and that his father was no where to be found.
Donnie hadn’t panicked. He’d been extremely angry at first, then resigned over his father deserting him. He accepted the reality that his father was a coward and that’s why his mother had been so angry with him herself. Khan had been pragmatic, stating that they would need to look for supplies and then get moving.

Donnie had found himself in charge of Tammy and Brian, ages six and four. He’d shoved the part of him that was screaming for his mother down in a dark hole somewhere inside and had done exactly what Khan had directed him to. And he’d started praying, hard, to whatever god or goddess might be out there to keep them hidden and help him keep the others safe until he could get them to the border to ask for asylum. He’d buried all thoughts of childhood and grown up.

Now, they were at the border and there was no question of asylum. It hadn’t even come up. The teenage girl with the scary eyes had declared them hers. The quiet one that looked like her had been gentle with him and he’d almost broken down. Almost. He’d accepted her embrace, but hadn’t returned it. He didn’t trust any of them.

He looked up as the girl limped toward him. Something about her made him want to start babbling like a complete idiot, spilling out everything that had happened since the storm cellar back home. He put his tongue firmly between his teeth and held it there.

“Hi.” She said as she stood before him. Raised an eyebrow as he subtly shifted so he was between her and the pups. “I’m Angel.”

“Mine.” He grunted out tersely and shifted again to stand between her and the pups.

“I can see we’re going to have non-stop, sparkling conversations.”

He grunted again, refusing to meet her gaze. He heard her sigh deeply.

*Donnie* The command was so compelling, he had no choice. His eyes slammed into hers. He took a deep breath, trying to fight, but then, he found himself in her arms, everything spilling out over his tongue. From the conversations he’d overheard between his parents in the storm cellar, to the day he’d suddenly found himself in charge of kids half his age, to now.

She didn’t say anything, just let him wind down, holding him, her hands rubbing circles on his back. He stood, holding onto her desperately, and suddenly realized he was bawling like a baby. He tried to step back, but found his way hampered by several bodies. His ears rang with the sound of purring. He blinked, then blinked again.

“Well, that explains a lot.” Angel stated, capturing his gaze again. “However, you’re safe now. I don’t care what your dad may or may not have done. I’m not going to punish you for it. No one else here will either.”

*Why do you trouble yourself with this weakling, Sister mine?* Came a lazy, arrogant voice.

“Torin.” Angel warned softly, but Donnie yanked himself out of her grasp and spun to face the unicorn with a glare. The rock wolves melted out of the way, watching with interest.

“Who are you calling a weakling?” He growled, hand on his knife.

*Ah, good. The youngling hasn’t lost his bite.* Torin stated dryly, his eyes gleaming with a strange light. *I am Torin, young one. I am going to train you.*

“Who said you were good enough?” Donnie growled, stepping right up nose to nose with him, then found himself flat on his back, a heavy hoof on his knife hand and a spiral horn tip at his throat. He rolled his eyes back enough to see Angel pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger, then stared back up at Torin. “Yeah, you might be good enough. We’ll see, though.”

*Oh, I am going to enjoy you, Youngling. You should prove quite entertaining.*

“Torin.” Angel growled.

Donnie found himself suddenly released. He spun over on his belly, watching the unicorn saunter past Angel, blowing in her hair as he went past. She responded by slapping his rump, but not as hard as Donnie knew she could have if she were really upset. He craned his neck around to glare at the grinning faces of Tammy, Brian and the dogs.

“Fat lot of help you guys were.” He snorted. Lady merely wiggled and sneezed in amusement at him as he sat up. He found himself with a lapful of wiggling puppies and cuddled on either side by Tammy, Kennedy and Brian. Angel smiled down at him gently.

“Torin likes getting a rise out of me.” She shrugged helplessly. “I’ve never really known him to be such a pain in the ass to anyone else. He must like you a great deal.”

“He’s going to train me?”

“He seems to have decided to, yes.”

“Why?”

“Why not?”

“I’m human.”

“Yes, and you’re also now my family. Which means you’re his, too, since he’s my adopted brother.”

“How’d that happen?”

“Long story.”

“I’m not doing anything.”

“Yet. I came to see if you wanted to come help get the tents set up.”

“Tents?”

“We’re going to stay here for a couple of days.”

“Why?”

“Khan can’t be moved yet.”

“What’s wrong with Khan?” Tammy immediately chimed in, her voice full of fear and worry.

Angel settled herself on the ground in front of them and was immediately swarmed by the puppies and Lady. She seemed to take their attention in stride, settling them around her before answering.

“Do any of you know what Khan did?” She asked quietly.

“He howled like Chance told him to.” Tammy shrugged. “Then we got new friends.”

“It was more than that, wasn’t it?” Donnie asked, making a gesture for the younger kids to be quiet.

“I’m afraid so.” Angel nodded. “He didn’t know what he was doing. He told me about the howl of truce and in dire. But, what he didn’t know is he also howled what Larl’s wolves call the howl of sacrifice.”

“What’s that?”

“Khan basically promised he would pay for allies and safe passage with his soul and his heart.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!?”

“It means Khan was willing to die to see you safe across the border, and anyone who answered him immediately owned a piece of his soul and his heart. It means that when Lulu died, he literally lost a part of himself. He was dying.”

“No! Not Khan! No!” Tammy cried out, only to be hushed by Donnie. Angel sighed deeply and held out her arms.

“I said was, Tammy.” She soothed as the child crawled into her lap. “Khan didn’t know what he was doing, and I don’t think this Chance knew it would happen.”

“Well, what does it mean? And what do you mean was?” Donnie demanded.

“It means that Khan is a very powerful weaver. A shaman or mage, if you will. However, because most mages have familiars to ground them, if they lose a part of themselves, it’s not usually fatal. Khan didn’t have anyone to ground him, and he’s too powerful for just any familiar bonding to have saved him. He needed to bond to a guardian immediately to save his life.”

“What’s a guardian?” Brian’s voice was quiet and soft as he peered up at Angel.

“Well, that would be me.” She smiled sadly. “A guardian stands to protect and defend those who cannot against any and all who are evil or would see evil done.”

“But you’re just a kid!” Donnie protested.

“So are you. I bonded to Khan to save his life. However, he’s very fragile right now. It’s like he’s been really, really sick and he needs quiet and rest. If we move him, he could get sicker, may be die. So, we have to stay here until he’s stronger.”

“You’re not telling us something.”

“Sharp little dagger, aren’t you?”

“What is it?”

“Simple. Khan tied a piece of his heart and soul to each one of you in that howl. When I bonded to him, that little tie got attached to me. Means, like it or not, you’re mine too. It’s going to create all kinds of fun kinks in a lot of tails.”

“Why is that?”

“Well, because, technically, it makes you all my familiars. According to the precepts of magical law the Human High Council passed, humans can’t be familiars.”

“That’s dumb.” Brian said in a scathing tone. “My mama said they was a bunch of stupid idgits”

“Yeah,” Tammy nodded. “‘Specially since Mandy tested as a nothing, but could do spells if she was holdin’ Bert.”

“Mandy? Bert?” Angel queried.

“Mandy was our big sister. Bert was the daddy to Lady’s puppies. If Mandy had her hand on Bert, she could do anything.”

“Hm. We’re going to have to talk about that later. Right now, I think we should all go help with the tents. Then, I think that it would be very good therapy for you all to quietly visit Khan. I’ve dosed him with a mild sleeping potion, but he refuses to go to sleep. I think he’s worried about you all.”

Donnie scrambled to his feet and helped Angel up. They followed her anxiously back to a clearing, only to find the tents had already been erected. They were led into the largest one to find Butch sitting between two pallets. One held the two coyotes, the other, Khan. P&P were crouched at the foot while Sylvester lay curled at the head, her paw lightly touching the back of Khan’s shoulder. Lady spent several minutes fussing between the two pallets before laying with the coyotes. Two of the pups lay with her, one went to lay with Khan. Donnie had already lay on his belly next to Khan, fingers gently stroking his face. Angel didn’t say anything, merely had two more pallets brought in along with more blankets. The three younger children settled in between the two original pallets, urging Butch up long enough to spread the pallet to include his spot. When he settled back down, they cuddled up to his side and he sighed in contentment. Angel ducked out of the tent, then stopped as Donnie followed her. She looked at him, waiting.

“Thanks.” He grunted finally, ears reddening.

“You’re welcome, Little Brother.” She smiled, then leaned over and kissed his forehead. “Go get some sleep.”

He nodded and ducked back inside, snuggling down next to Khan.

Sometime during the night, he awoke to feel a solid body lying against his back and the sound of purring resonating through the tent. He looked up to see the huge female Rock Wolf at his back and the huge black lab and smaller rock wolf snuggled around Khan. It registered that Khan was whimpering and twitching in his sleep.

*Stupid dog.* Sylvester purred gently and carefully licked the fur around his eyes. His whimpers lessened.

Donnie began stroking Khan’s side, sending pictures of their life together before the storm cellar. He felt another hand join his and the purring increased, seeming to come from everywhere around the tent. He didn’t need to look up to know Angel was there.

*Safe, My little king. You are safe. We are safe. Safe, My little king.* Came the soft singsong sending over and over again. Gradually, Khan’s whimpering and twitching ceased.

Donnie fell asleep to the litany, soothed by the warmth at his back and the sound of purring that had gradually lessened to a soft, almost whisper of sound.
For the first time in months, he slept soundly and did not dream of horror and death.
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Across the camp, in front of a smaller tent and sprawled among thick rugs and fat pillows, Larl and Rhia kept refilling the mug held in the STILL Not-Wobbly hand of one Kat McKenzie – nee Wolfsdaughter.

“You’ll be going through the entire bottle by yourself, at this rate.” Larl observed.

“I SAID I was going to need two large ones . . . “

Rhia sipped at her Fairy-Wine as she looked over at Larl and winked, “What – you thought she was going to SHARE? Phfft. Besides – I know your taste runs more to things a bit more refined than THAT stuff.” She waved a dismissive hand at the bottle of distilled, golden, Agave’ Cactus juice.

“Well, who wouldn’t appreciate a good Uisge Beathe’?” Larl retorted.

“Now, now – there’s no reason to gloat – just because you have access to old Oberon’s cellars . . . besides – I think you were more taken with the dark chocolate liqueur last time we did this . . . ” Rhia grinned.

“No – that was YOU, and you almost mugged that poor Sidhe merchant to get you a source for it!”

“I did NOT!”

“Did SO . . . “

“Harrumph . . . “
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The banter went on for several minutes as they all avoided looking across the center of camp to the infirmary tent. It seemed to be the unspoken rule for the evening, “Get Kat drunk, get her mind OFF the events of the day, and let her relax for a bit. Let Angel do whatever it is she needs to be doing – then make bloody damned sure that everyone gets some rest. Things will be dealt with – LATER.”

Rhia and Larl were doing their level best to obey this rule, to the point of Rhia’s casting a spell of sleep from the Barrier, across the open grasslands to the Forest’s edge- some two miles away. The only ones immune to it were the Guards, who wore a counter-charm – and those with intent. Angel qualified in the later – for now, but when the intent had been taken care of, she’d be tucked in same as everyone else. Rhia had used the most subtle magic she could – keeping in mind that she had an example to set. Especially with quashing the previous attempt to create the mini-Barrier only two miles behind them.
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So she’d whispered to the Winds, and quietly asked the Fire not to crackle quite so loudly, and the Waters of the brook not to babble unless they had something significant to say. The Earth was quite content to nap and between them they wove a subtle web of ‘Sleepy, Safe and Sound’ all around the camp.

19. Startled Frogs