"KITKAT! GET OVER HERE!"

The two nekos raced in when they heard their names called. Dokusei growled at them.

"I'm heading out. You two are in charge while I'm gone. DON'T mess this up."

"We won't!" Kit said, saluting.

"Yeah! You can count on us!" Kat added, mimicking her sister.

Dokusei snorted and rolled her eyes, forcing herself not to smile. She never showed it, but those two never failed to amuse her. "And don't forget — if Nuclear tells you to do ANYTHING, do it. Unless it's, like, killing yourself. I mean, just..... JUST FORGET IT."

She stormed off.

The twins looked at each other and shrugged. "Eh..."

They immediately started catfighting.

"YOU TWO BETTER START ACTING SERIOUS!" Dokusei's voice boomed.  They both stopped and stared for a moment before leaping back to their feet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ • ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, shouldn't we choose a leader?" Sasha asked as the group started heading back, guided by the masked werewolf, who they had discovered was Rahasy.

"I for one nominate Kasai. She's pretty strong." Cory muttered with a blush.

Kasai's face reddened. "M-me!? I can't be leader..."

"Why not?" Streak asked. "You're brave, tough, loyal... all good traits of a good leader if ya ask me. Even if I have all those traits and more."

"You're definitely more..." Katie whined, her tails wagging slowly.

"Well, how about we take a vote?" Zakk suggested.

"Everyone's gonna vote for themselves or for the person they like. I don't think voting is a good idea." Kasai pointed out.

"And there you go, acting like a leader. Can't you just agree and go with it?" Flash complained. The others verbally expressed their agreement.

"Okay, okay! If you all want it so badly." Kasai muttered, rolling her eyes.

Cory flinched away as more snowflakes fluttered to the ground. "S-so when should we start searching?"

Kasai looked up at the sky. The glow that governed the day was fading, and the moon was rising. "Maybe tomorrow. It's getting late right now. Besides, it's best we all start searching after a full night's rest."

"But my pack's hunting tonight." Doug whined. "I won't have time to rest."

Kasai sighed. "Can't you work something out?"

"I can't..."

"Well, we won't have time to wait any longer than until tomorrow. The blizzard's already getting close."

"Guess I'll have to manage then."

They eventually reached the exit. Rahasy dipped their head before running off. Doug waved.

"We'll meet in the forest first thing tomorrow morning." Kasai instructed. "Until then, try to get as much sleep as you can."

The group shared their goodbyes before scattering.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ • ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dokusei crept towards Phoenix Village first. Nuclear didn't have a phoenix follower yet, so it only seemed logical to get a phoenix on their side first.

Fuego was waiting patiently outside for his sister to return, not noticing the werewolf lurking in the shadows.

"Aye, hermana, dónde estás?" he muttered to himself. "Where are you? I miss you. You've been gone all day..."

Dokusei took the opportunity and pounced, giving Fuego a swift bite to the neck. He shrieked in pain and squirmed, barely escaping her grasp.

"WHAT THE?! ¡¿Qué sucede contigo!?" he exclaimed, clutching the bite. Dokusei just growled before running away.

Almost as if the shriek was the trigger for her arrival, Kasai came running over. "Fuego? What happened?"

Fuego looked up at his older sister and clung to her. "Oh, hermana! ¡Había un loco hombre lobo! There was a crazy werewolf!" he said, whimpering.

Kasai hugged back, scooping the trembling phoenix up in her arms. "Hey, hey, it's okay. She's gone now." she said gently. "C'mon, let's get that bite bandaged up. It's almost time for bed. The sirens will start their song soon."

She carried him into the house and helped bandage his wound. He didn't like the feeling of the bandages around his neck, but didn't protest.

"Hermana, duele mucho..." he muttered, rubbing his neck.

"I know, I know. Just relax, okay? I'm sure it'll feel better in the morning."

"Okay... but where were you? Why were you gone for so long?"

"Oh, that...we have to talk about that."

"¿Qué?"

Kasai gently carried him to his room. "My friends and I have a special mission. I'll be leaving early in the morning tomorrow."

"¿Pero por qué? But why?"

She sighed. "It's hard to explain. Just...get some rest, okay?"

"Okay, hermana..."

She tucked him into bed just as the siren's song started. She gave him a quick goodnight kiss before going to her room and drifting into a deep, gentle sleep.