"Survivor of the Night! Did Healer Granny heal you?"

"Poor Soul, did you remember how you survived that night?"

"Do you not care for us? Tell us what you know!"

"What's with that grin on your face? Let's take you to Village Chief Brain so you can tell him everything!"

& again the onslaught of questions such as these & the likes of them were asked as Kinana crossed the village town's line. With that last question though, Kinana realized that she did indeed have a big grin spread across her face.

She shook her head before she spoke, "Oh, um, I am fine. I don't need to visit the Village Chief though. We are making progress. She wants me back tomorrow to start a medicine." It wasn't a complete lie. They were making progress with figuring out that her memories are still there, just blocked.

But that wasn't the real reason for her smile though. Kinana got to bond with her Lycan mate on the walk back to the village town. They laughed & giggled & held hands. But Cobra had to dart back into the forest just before the village came into view. He had given her a kiss on the cheek as a parting gift. She could not stop smiling about it. Kinana really did feel like she knew of Cobra before the Lycans were banished & the memories of them blocked. He just felt familiar & right.

But without the villagers knowledge of the Lycans, they seemed pleased to hear that Kinana was making some sort of progress with her memories. Kinana had noticed a couple of Council Members hanging around though. They didn't seem as joyous as the villagers. But no doubt that they would report to Chief Brain on what she had just said.

The crowd of villagers dispersed enough to let Kinana through & she walked towards her home. She continued to go about the rest of her day & had dinner with her mom. & after her bedtime routine, she crawled into bed & fell asleep.

Unfortunately, her night's worth of sleep got interrupted. Kinana wasn't sure what time it was, but she woke up to a kiss given to her on her cheek. But she didn't open her eyes yet. Kinana felt her bed shift from a new added weight climbing in. But she didn't open her eyes yet. An arm wrapped itself around Kinana & felt this person scooting closer to her. She still kept her eyes closed & just wanted to go back to sleep. Kinana finally shot her eyes open though as a kiss was planted on her neck. She sat up & scooted away from the intruder.

"What the-" she started to scream before her mouth was covered by a hand. This caused her to panic further before hearing the intruder's voice.

"Kinana, Kinana, stop! It's alright. It's me, my Beloved."

Kinana froze & looked more closely at his face, even though it was dark in her room. But sure enough, it really was Cobra's silhouette, with his tail wagging happily behind him.

Cobra removed his hand from her mouth. "Cobra," Kinana whispered. "How did you get in here? I mean, you were banished from the village with the rest of your pack. How did you get into my room?"

Cobra waved it off, "No one guards the town's borders anymore. With the curfew, it was easy. Plus, you window was open. I closed it for you."

Kinana looked over towards her window & shrugged. "Fair enough I guess," she replied. "Sooo ... whatcha doing then?"

He leaned foward, his hands & knees supporting him as he went on all fours. He was inches from her lips. "I wanted to see you again, much sooner than high noon by the river. I have missed our snuggles & cuddles from our childhood. I promise to leave before any of the villagers know." He had teased her as he talked those sweet words to her, moving his head closer to her ear or towards her lips.

Kinana turned her head away from him. She barely knew him, but she felt drawn to him. She could feel that they were meant for each other. She bit her bottom lip, contemplating. "I guess one night couldn't hurt. But you must leave by the first ray of morning's light."

Looking at him & seeing his eager face, she barely registered the fact that they were kissing until a good few seconds into it. Her eyes widened & she leaned back. She couldn't form words of apologies that she felt she desperately needed to say.

"Mate, it's alright." he sat down on the bed properly with his legs crossed before leaning forward again.

This time, Kinana leaned forward towards him too, meeting him halfway. It felt right & natural to her. She broke off their kiss again though before things got too intense. Kinana didn't want to act on those 'urges' of his yet like Healer Granny warned her about. She giggled, feeling like a daring teenager exploring naughty things she shouldn't be doing yet. But she is 21 & he is 24 so...

Kinana placed her hands in his maroon colored hair. She ran her fingers through his hair, ruffling it at times, & felt how soft it was. After some time, she felt his pointed ears. Cobra leaned into her touches through all this, not minding one bit that she was examining him. But then she gently touched the scar over his right eye. That caused him to flinch away.

"Oh," Kinana hesitated. "I-I'm sorry! I was just wondering how-"

"Him," Cobra growled out quietly.

"Who?"

"Werewolf Zero. But I was protecting you, so it's ok," Cobra said this as if it was no big deal at all.

Kinana blinked once. "What do you mean by that?!"

Cobra shushed her while putting a finger to her lips. "Ssshh, I'll tell you what happened. But keep quiet. Alright, my Beloved?" After Kinana nodded, he removed his finger from her mouth & placed his hand along her jaw line lovingly. She leaned into his touch, closing her eyes. "It was the night you wore your cloak for the first time."

Kinana's eyes snapped open. "That night?!"

"Yes. I'm assuming you don't remember this night either?" Cobra asked.

"I don't remember anything of that night at all. Just trying to fall asleep on the straw bed & then waking up with blood everywhere. I been trying to figure out what happened since." Kinana began to well up tears. "I could have saved 39 people if only I could remember. & I need to save Laki. Please, tell me anything you remember. How did I survive?"

Cobra guided her head to lean on his chest as her tears fell. He petted & played with her short purple hair while continuing his tale, "I had sensed that you were depressed all month before that night. So I ventured as far into the village as I dared with my friends. We were already in wolf form. We didn't want to be caught off guard by any werewolves." Cobra had to pause, trying not to tear up himself. "I was heartbroken when I saw you next to the well. I had to step in. My friends told me not to, but I couldn't stay away. We saw Werewolf Zero circling the well, waiting to kill you. I attacked him-"

"You did?" Kinana sat up straight, looking into his good eye. "& you mean White Werewolf Terror."

"No, his name is Zero. He is a dangerous werewolf spirit. Anyway-"

"Werewolf spirit?" she interrupted again.

"There are werewolves & then there are werewolf spirits. I can explain tomorrow at the river though. Too many wolf kinds. Anyway-" he paused to make sure she didn't interrupt for a third time. "You were trying to just outsmart Werewolf Zero by just being opposite of the well from him. I give you props on that, but he is just too fast, too strong, too dangerous. You would have died if we didn't step in. But when he circled around to be crushing on the straw, I attacked him. I bit his tail. That's when he howled in pain & took a swing at me. Only a single one of his claws got me, & took out my eye with it. My friends were able to chase him out of the village while you comforted me. I was glad you weren't afraid of me."

Kinana smiled at that. She still didn't remember Cobra from that night either, but she was glad that he was there to protect her from the White Werewolf Terror.

"Wait a minute," Kinana sat up with a sudden realization, "I am only alive today by chance?!"