John stirred, sensing a presence above him and hot breath huffing against his throat. Blue eyes snapped open to find black fur brushing his cheek and a heavy weight on his chest. Kou growled as he sniffed and huffed against his throat, lingering over his mating mark. John's instincts prickled. Kou was a dog, but he was still an alpha, and he was awfully close to Lin's claiming bite. He whimpered as he felt Kou's sharp teeth and tongue slide over his neck, almost as if he were trying to taste it. Is he trying to taste me, or is he going to bite? The thought made his breath hitch and his skin prickle. He'd never heard of a dog trying to claim a human before, but being caught out in the wilds like this was rare.

"Please don't..." Gentle hands reached up to push the heavy animal back. Kou growled his disapproval, making him flinch as he was pressed against the ground. He shivered fearfully as the large dog drew back to stare down at him with almost curious eyes. "I'm mated, and I'm not a dog," he objected weakly, resting a protective hand over his mating mark. Kou grumbled as he nosed his arm, gently trying to nudge the hand away. John gripped tighter and turned his head, squeezing his eyes shut. Koujo...I want Koujo...

John turned back as the large dog tugged his other arm up and wriggled its way beneath his hand. He stroked his head hesitantly, unsure if he was offering comfort or an apology. His heart leapt as he felt a familiar presence brush his mind, filling him with hope and worry. Lin was somewhere in the forest, looking for him. Unfortunately, there was no way he could tell him where he was, or even work out how close they were. Kou moved, large ears pricking as he listened. John frowned, getting to his feet as Kou barked and padded towards the treeline, pausing to look back expectantly.

"You want me to follow you?" Kou scratched the ground with his large paws, snuffling and shaking his head before taking another step. John followed cautiously, eyes darting this way and that through the trees. He had no real reason to trust the large black dog, but something about the way he sniffed the air and twitched his ears made John think he was guiding him. Kou padded ahead, sometimes running a few steps further to sniff around the faded trails. It was clear this area had once been a popular hiking trail, but it seemed to have fallen into disuse in recent years. How long has Kou lived here? "What is it?" John asked as Kou stopped and dropped low, growling and barking at the trees ahead.

"John!" John's heart pounded almost painfully as he heard his mate's voice. He could barely make a sound in response, though Kou was making enough for both of them. He barked loudly, taking up an almost territorial stance in front of him. John whimpered as Lin appeared, wearing his long black trench coat over his hiking gear in the early morning chill. He was carrying a large backpack that seemed to be full, likely expecting a full day of searching. He came to a dead stop as the large dog barked and snarled, hunkering down and glaring in warning. "Are you alright?" Lin asked softly, dropping into a defensive stance as Kou gnashed his teeth and growled. He didn't dare take his eyes off the large dog that had apparently taken a liking to his mate.

"I-I'm safe...Kou, it's alright...He's my mate." John knelt just behind Kou's hunkered form, making himself small so it didn't seem like a challenge. Lin raised an eyebrow as the large dog shuffled back closer to John, barking loudly as Lin edged closer. "Koujo..." John held up a hand in warning. Kou clearly hadn't appreciated the move. Lin held out a hand for John as he locked eyes with the large dog. Kou growled and snapped as he backed into John, forcing him back a little.

"John is my mate." A small whine of argument escaped the large hound. Lin's lips twitched in amusement at the almost sulky sound. "Thank you for taking care of him, but I need him back now." Unafraid, he held his hand out, palm up. Kou cautiously padded closer, looking between Lin's hand and his face. Lin remained still as Kou shuffled from paw to paw and finally pressed his cold nose against his fingers, snuffling and tickling his skin. After a while, it seemed he was satisfied. He'd taken in Lin's scent profile and matched it to John's mating mark. With a final snuff, he padded aside and watched.

"Jo!" John all but threw himself into Lin's chest. Lin caught him securely, having braced himself for the impact. He held him close, one hand buried in his curled locks while the other caressed his slim waist. John felt like he was going to be crushed, but he didn't care. His whole body started shivering as he remembered falling and waking up without Lin there. "I'm so sorry, I should have been more careful, I-" John cut off as Lin sealed his lips, kissing and caressing him with urgency.

"You weren't to know. I should have reached you in time. I was terrified." Lin held John at arm's length and caressed his damp cheeks, searching for injuries as he looked him up and down. He swiftly leaned in to kiss the fresh tears away, his own heart racing in relief as he reassured himself that John was alive and safe in his arms. "We should head back," Lin said finally as he pulled out his phone. As he spoke to someone and told them the situation, John turned his attention to Kou, who had turned to wander back into the trees.

"Kou?" John could just see the black fur disappearing back into the forest. "Hey, wait!" he called louder as he hurried after the large dog. The wolfish hound paused in his tracks to look back, tilting his head almost quizzically. "Is that it? You're going to stay here by yourself?" Kou turned back with a small gruff and raised his large head. John stroked his rough fur almost forlornly. He's clearly been here for some time, so he can probably take care of himself, but...Kou panted happily at the attention, nosing into John's palm as he stroked his ears. He was a stray now, but he'd clearly been owned in the past.

"John, it's time to head back!" Lin called as he appeared behind him. Kou snuffed his agreement before padding a circle around John and nudging his thigh. "What is it?" Lin asked as he sensed John's quiet distress, watching as he drew his hand back. He felt a little silly for being so upset. He'd only met Kou a few hours ago, and the dog could clearly handle himself out here in the forest. From the state of his fur, he must have been out there for a long time, and he clearly knew how to find food and take care of himself.

"I was just saying goodbye to Kou." Kou almost seemed to gruff his agreement as he wagged his tail.

"We should bring him with us...This area whole is at serious risk of a landslide. That's why the trails were abandoned," Lin said as he pulled a rope from his backpack. Kou growled as he watched Lin tie a loop, shuffling back as he approached. John watched as Lin's gaze hardened, spiced alpha pheromones slipping out. He almost flinched as Kou barked and released his own pheromones in a battle for dominance. While Lin smelled like chilli chocolate, Kou smelled earthier. It was an almost metallic scent, like fresh meat, something that would surely attract other animals. "Come here." Lin's scent finally overpowered Kou's, making him cower in submission. He let out a high-pitched whine as he allowed Lin to slip the rope over his head and ruffle his large ears.

"It'll be alright. It's safer where we're going," John assured as Lin led the way, keeping hold of Kou's temporary leash. Kou reluctantly padded along beside Lin, occasionally wandering a little further ahead. It seemed to take a long time. The uneven trail went up and down through the trees, winding this way and that. John did his best to keep pace with Lin, not wanting to slow him down. Lin smiled apologetically as he slowed down, almost surprised that Kou seemed to know exactly where they were going. Perhaps it shouldn't have surprised him that he knew the trails so well. He'd clearly lived there for a long time.

"John!" Ayako cried as they finally reached the edge of the trees, where a large cabin stood. It had once been a tourist centre, but since the trails had closed, this, too, had fallen into disrepair. There was a large group of people waiting, including an ambulance. John swiftly found himself ushered into the white vehicle with Ayako, who hushed him as she examined his body, forcing him out of most of his clothes. He flushed as her fingers caressed his pale skin, probing each bruise and scratch. "You gave us all such a fright!" she sighed in relief as she allowed him to redress. She couldn't even put into words how lucky he'd been. Though he was a little bruised and battered, and clearly in shock, he'd escaped any major injuries.

"I'm sorry..." Ayako knew it wasn't his fault. It was an accident that could have happened to anyone. In some ways, it was lucky it had happened to them as a group. The weakness in the barrier was now known and recorded, ready to be fixed, without anyone dying. Since there was nothing wrong with him, and he felt fine, Ayako allowed him to skip a hospital visit. He watched with some sadness as Kou was handed over to the search and rescue staff and taken to the nearest vet. Back at the hotel, he was given a hot meal and told the others what had happened.

"Were you scared?" Mai asked as he talked about being in the forest at night.

"No...I was a little nervous at first, but Kou took care of me. I'm not sure I would have survived without him. I think he pulled me from the water." When he'd woken up on the bank, Kou's thick fur had already been damp, so it made sense to think he'd been in the water and dragged him to shore. He wasn't sure why Kou would do such a thing after being abandoned, but he'd clearly taken a liking to him.

"Oh, no," Naru sighed in resignation, causing John to raise his head. Naru currently had his face buried in his hand while Lin was looking thoughtful. "You're not serious!" Lin simply looked across at Naru's despairing expression with a small shrug.

"He'd make an excellent guard dog." John's heart leapt as he looked at his alpha hopefully, trying not to let his sweet scent seep out to show how eager he was. Naru, on the other hand, was less than enthused. He sipped his tea with a small frown, which only made Lin's lips quirk in amusement.

"We already have a cat!" Naru exclaimed, as if that were bad enough. Secretly, Lin knew that Naru had come to like Sebastian, and even relied on him somewhat for emotional support. It was true that Naru wasn't really a fan of large dogs, but he also knew he had a tendency to adapt to new situations quickly. Lin watched as Naru's gaze shifted to John's hopeful face to find his blue eyes pleading quietly. Finding himself outnumbered, he heaved a final sigh before burying his nose in his cup. "It stays in your part of the house."