"Come on, I'll show you what we do for training."

Cyrus blinks, humming in a silent agreement. Lance pulls Cyrus along onto the camp, and Cyrus catches up to walk by his side.

"So - what do you want to do today? I'm sure you haven't gotten used to some of your new abilities, how about I show you what you can do?"

"But I can't shift..."

Lance turns, shining a reassuring smile, "You don't need to. Let me show you something." He excitedly pulls Cyrus along towards the center of the camp. A few members stop to stare after the pair, and only Cyrus becomes self conscious because of all the sudden attention. Lance still hasn't let go of his hand, not that he was complaining.

Lance stops in front of an old beat up car. The windows have been smashed out, and rust has began to claim the once silver color. Lance lets go of Cyrus's hand and flashes him a smile before bending down before the car, gripping its edges with both hands. His muscles flex as he lifts the car off the ground and sends it flipping forward. A few pack members cheer excitedly as Lance turns back around to face the stunned Cyrus.

"H-How did you do that?"

Lance dusts off his hands, "Want to give it a try?"

"I don't think I'll be able to..."

"Oh, c'mon, give it a try!" A few passing pack members edge him on, and his wolf begins to stir with excitement.

Cyrus huffs, "Alright."

Lance smiles brightly as they walk to the now flipped over car. Cyrus positions himself in front of it. A small crowd forms around the pair, not helping to calm Cyrus's nerves. Lance grips Cyrus's shoulders from behind, "Bend from your knees and let your wolf do all the work."

"But-"

"You can do it," Lance whispers encouragingly in his ear, and others agree with him, cheering him on. Lance steps away and Cyrus takes a deep breath, staring down at his hands. Could he really manage to flip a car? Was that really possible?

Cyrus bends down and grips the edges of the car, making sure his legs are firmly planted on the ground. C'mon! He lifts with all of his strength, his arms beginning to tremble. His wolf races around in his head, stopping to howl - and with a sudden surge of adrenaline, Cyrus lifts the car up off the ground and sends it flying far up into the sky. He stumbles back and watches as the car bounces off the ground and rolls into the woods. A silent moment passes where everyone shares a similar expression of shock and bewilderment. Cyrus looks down at his hands, breathing heavily. Holy - did I just do that? How strong am I? How strong are you? He asks his wolf, who simply sits and tilts its head in response. So that's the power of a red wolf?

Lance is the first to break the silence, clapping. Soon after everyone follows, along with praising compliments and excited cheers. Lance grips Cyrus's shoulders as he stumbles back, laughing joyfully, "That was amazing, Cyrus!"

Cyrus turns around and smiles bashfully. He didn't know he was capable of that, and neither did anyone else. They certainly weren't expecting that from the Alpha's mate... but they were certainly glad Cyrus was on their side when it came down to it.

"How did that feel?"

Cyrus laughs shakily, "Good. It felt good."

"Come with me then, I have a feeling you'll like this next bit." Lance grabs Cyrus's hand and pulls him towards the trees away from the camp. He stops at the lining of trees. He begins to pull his shirt over his head, and step out of his pants. He tosses them towards a passing member who catches them instinctively, nodding knowingly. Cyrus watches as Lance rolls back his shoulders, and then shifts into that familiar silver wolf he met one night. The wolf shakes his body so his fur ruffles, catching a few rays of sunlight. He then looks towards Cyrus who gapes at him in amazement. Lance bends down and stares at Cyrus expectantly.

Cyrus hesitantly approaches the wolf, placing his hand onto the fur where it sinks. He looks into those pair of golden brown eyes that shine with patience. He then lifts his leg and throws it over, heaving himself onto the wolf. He adjusts himself on his new ride, gripping the fur on the wolf's neck when he stands up on all fours. Cyrus turns to look over his shoulder to glance at the camp before facing back forward.

The wolf then bends down slightly, confusing Cyrus, before he dashes into the trees. Cyrus gasps and clings onto the wolf to ensure he didn't fall off. Lance dashes in and out of trees, going an inhuman speed. The trees begin to blend together into a beautiful green blur. The air whips past his cheeks, making his eyes water. A smile begins to grow on Cyrus's face, to the point his cheeks burn. His wolf shares the same sheer excitement from the feeling of running. In that moment he felt so... free.

A ray of sunlight blinds Cyrus for a moment as they reach a clearing. Lance slows as they approach a cliff. Cyrus breaths heavily, his cheeks tinted and his hair ruffled by the wild wind. Lance stops for only a minute before turning and waltzing back into the trees. Cyrus thinks they are going to head back to the camp, but then Lance turns on his heel and begins to charge towards the cliff. Cyrus's eyes widen and he quickly wraps his arms around Lance's neck, clinging onto him for dear life. Lance leaps off of the cliff into the air. Cyrus's eyes glue shut as the ground disappears from underneath his feet. The fur underneath his fingers disappears and turns into a smooth hard surface. Cyrus blinks and meets Lance's eyes staring warmly down at him. The sun illuminates behind his head, and in shock Cyrus releases the hold on Lance's neck. He begins to drift from Lance, but Lance outstreches his arms and pulls Cyrus back towards him. He begins to mouth something, but Cyrus can't comprehend what he's saying. Lance instead smiles and pulls Cyrus towards him, enveloping him in a hug. He holds Cyrus's head as the pair fall down into the sea of trees.

Not many thoughts go through Cyrus's head at that moment - he only knew that he was falling, and he was in Lance's arms. With his heart in his throat, and wind racing past his ears, one thought did indeed cross his mind - he much preferred being in Lance's arms than simply holding his hand. He wrapped his arms around Lance's bare skin and held him, closing his eyes shut as they dived through the trees and into water. The pair separated as a million little bubbles surrounded them. The bubbles tickled at Cyrus's skin and he opened his eyes when he realized he wasn't dead, but surrounded by the cool relief of water. Through the mist Lance appears, his eyes finding Cyrus's. Bubbles escape his parting lips as he laughs, and Cyrus sucks in a breath out of pure amazement. When nothing but water fills his lungs, he swims towards the surface, with Lance following in pursuit.

He breaches the surface, coughing. He blinks to assess his surroundings, finding himself in a lake. He rubs his eyes as Lance breaches the surface of water beside him. Lance runs his hand through his wet hair, finding Cyrus, "Did I surprise you?"

Cyrus furrows his brows. Lance just ran them off the cliff, and Cyrus had no idea whether or not they would survive. Cyrus shakes his head at the obscurity of what just happened, looking up toward the sky. He finds the cliff they just fell from, shocked at how high it was. He looks back at Lance, "Are you insane?!"

"A little, yeah," Lance then barks out a laugh, finding the situation hysterical.

Cyrus grows angry, "Why are you laughing? You could've killed us, you idiot! This isn't funny!" Cyrus splashes water at Lance whose laughs turn into giggles. He blocks Cyrus's continous attacks with his hands. Cyrus swims towards Lance, "How's this for funny?!" He dunks Lance underwater, biting back a laugh of his own when Lance's giggles turn into gargles.

Cyrus pulls back, his smile falling when Lance doesn't come back up to the surface. He searches the water around him. Suddenly a pair of hands grip his ankles and pull him under. He holds his breath and quickly finds Lance swimming away from him. Cyrus glares and swims after him, kicking his legs as fast as he possibly can in an effort to catch up. Lance surfaces so Cyrus does the same.

He finds Lance swimming towards the ground and yells, "Get back here!"

Lance turns his head and smiles, then sticks out his tongue playfully before escaping the lake and running off into the trees. Cyrus groans and swims faster, crawling out of the lake. He pulls himself to his feet. The clothes on his back are now soaked and heavy. He then races towards the trees, after Lance, his heart racing with anticipation. He follows Lance's distinct scent. When the trail ends, he turns his head every which way, searching.

"Lance?" He calls.

"Up here!" Cyrus looks up, and before he can even register what is happening, Lance has tackled him to the ground. The pair roll around in the dirt, with Cyrus actively trying to fight him off, laughing.

"You're naked!" Cyrus says between laughs, "Get off!"

"Alright, alright! Stop hitting me!" Lance rolls off, standing to his feet. Cyrus gets up and quickly pulls off his pants, handing them to an amused Lance. He tries not to look at Lance's exposed member.

Lance quickly puts the pair of pants on, struggling to zipper them up, "Looks like they're a little small..." he gives up, leaving them half-zippered.

"Better than nothing," Cyrus shrugs, still trying to catch his breath. He catches Lance staring at him, "What?"

"You're different."

"Huh?"

"I knew it... you were just pretending around me," Lance calls him out, shaking his head with a smile, "Acting all sweet and helpless."

Cyrus's cheeks begin to warm, "No I wasn't."

"I have to say, I like the real you much better. He's a lot funner." Lance smiles warmly, admiring Cyrus.

It was almost as if an unbreachable wall between them had been broken. Without Cyrus having to worry about any of his current problems, he allowed himself to loosen up. When he came to this realization, he didn't bother trying to be the 'perfect little mate' anymore.

He folds his arms over his chest, "Maybe it's because you walked us off a cliff and I thought I was going to die."

"I knew the lake was beneath the cliff, relax, Cy. I thought your wolf would enjoy the thrill, mine certainly did. But, if it's any consolation, then I apologize."

Yes... Cyrus's wolf certainly did enjoy it, that was for a fact. He still wouldn't settle down after that tumble with Lance, running laps around his head. His heart was racing a million miles a minute because of it. Calm down, will you? Cyrus ordered, and strangely enough, his wolf obeyed. He was a little shocked by this progression. Did jumping off a cliff really make him grow closer with his wolf?

"We should camp out here for the night," Lance suggests.

"Huh? Can't you shift and run us back?"

"Well, I could, but my wolf isn't exactly listening to me. Plus, I don't think I could make it back before dark. It's a long path back up the mountain."

"Why isn't he listening?"

Lance's face grows red and he avoids eye contact with Cyrus. He attempts to cover his face with his hand, "Well, he wanted me to do... other things when I had you there on the ground."

Cyrus's face turns a similar shade of red as he processes Lance's words. Other... things? By other things he automatically assumed what he met. His wolf began to stir again, but he quickly restrained him.

"I see." Cyrus coughs.

"Yeah," Lance clears his throat, "There should be a cave around here somewhere. You can gather wood for a fire and I'll find us something to eat."

Cyrus nods, turning on his heel to walk in the opposite direction of Lance. He began to gather small sticks and twigs, holding them in his arms. His mind begins to wander. How did he find himself here? Talking so easily with Lance as if they were old friends? It was so strange. He had convinced himself he wouldn't grow attached, or allow his heart to be so vulnerable again. But he didn't feel lile he was letting his heart be vulnerable. No... his heart felt something else entirely. His heart was warm, and light. When he laughed with Lance he truly felt joy. Each and every time he witnessed one of Lance's smiles he could feel his resolve slowly melting away. He intended to pass the time up until the next blood red moon focusing on his plan... but spending time with Lance didn't sound unappealing. In fact, it sounded rather nice. Of course, a part of him still feared vulnerability, and what might hurt him if he allowed himself to be so vulnerable...

Cyrus follows Lance's scent, looking around. He spots the cave Lance was talking about, walking inside it. He places the small bunch of wood on the damp floor, sitting beside it with his legs crossed. He waits patiently for Lance's return.

A few minutes later Lance approaches, holding two dead squirrels in each hand. He heads towards the cave and Cyrus eyes the dead animals, "How did you manage to catch them quickly?"

Lance plops down on the other side of bunch of wood, "I have super powers, that's why." He looks at Cyrus from underneath his lashes, grinning when Cyrus shakes his head at his dumb joke.

"Hang on," Lance breaths, reaching for a few rocks beside him. He gathers a few leaves and places them atop the sticks. He positions the rocks above the makeshift camp, rubbing the rocks together in a flash, creating a spark. He quickly begins to blow at the small fire. Smoke rises and soon a small fire envelops the bundle of wood and leaves. Cyrus bites his tongue at how easily Lance created a fire.

"You should take off your shirt so it can dry," Lance suggests.

"No... I'm fine."

"C'mon, you'll catch a cold," Lance eyes Cyrus, clearly concerned for his safety.

Cyrus sighs, "As long as you promise to keep those pants on."

Lance frowns, clearly having a different plan in mind. He hesitantly nods, agreeing. Cyrus shrugs off his shirt, laying it next to the campfire. He pulls his knees to his chest, knawing at the inside of his cheek. At least he still had on a pair of boxers.

Lance smiles, content. Then, he holds up the squirrel and rips its skin off like it's a banana peel. Cyrus watches in disgust as he digs his fingers into its stomach, making a makeshift hole for him to rip all of the squirrels guts out. He notices Cyrus staring and offers the squirrels liver with his bloody hand.

"Augh, gross! I don't want that!"

"What?" Lance laughs, amused, "It's the best part." He then throws it in his mouth, chewing as if it were a piece of candy.

Cyrus is almost inclined to gag, "You're eating it raw?!"

"We wolves have a natural resistance to salmonella, it is completely safe for us to eat raw meat. You should try some."

"I'd rather not, thank you." Cyrus pulls his eyes away from the disturbing scene, feeling his stomach churn.

"That's funny, you didn't have a problem with it as a kid."

"Well... I've changed."

"Changed? No... it's almost like you've become a completely different person."

Cyrus flinches at Lance's words, which Lance catches notice of immediately. Cyrus squirms under Lance's intense gaze, trying his hardest to keep a straight face. That was close... Lance was spot on. But it was better if Cyrus kept his real identity a secret - it would only complicate things if Lance grew suspicious.

"I feel sick..." Cyrus clenches his stomach, glancing towards the desecrated squirrel so Lance knows what he is referring too.

Lance sighs, jabbing the squirrel onto the end of a stick and handing it to Cyrus. He holds his breath and holds the squirrel over the flame. Lance repeats the process with the other squirrel, and he also decides to cook his, not looking to make his mate any more uncomfortable. He pouts, it really does taste better raw, though...

Once the squirrels have cooked properly, the both begin to eat in silence. Lance devours his, not leaving any part uneaten. Surprisingly Cyrus finds himself in the exact same way, devouring his meal. His appetite had tripled in comparison to what it once was. Once they are both done, they throw what remains into the fire. Lance gets up to wash off his hands in the lake, leaving Cyrus to blink tiredly into the fire. He found himself strangely tired. He figured he must of used all of his strength to lift that car from earlier. It would be alright for him to rest his eyes for a little while, wouldn't it? A small part of him feared facing another nightmare, so he forced himself to stay awake.

Lance returns, taking his seat back across the fire, "Are you tired?"

"I'm fine."

"Get some sleep, I'll keep watch, make sure no strays get the jump on us."

Cyrus frowns, but doesn't openly argue with Lance. Right now, sleep sounded divine. Cyrus covers his mouth as he yawns, lying down on the hard ground. He shifts, trying to find comfort, but ultimately fails. Minutes pass. The fire warms his skin and crackles occasionally. Cyrus stares up at the roof of the cave, reluctant to close his eyes, still scared to face whatever nightmare might be awaiting him. He blinks and looks towards Lance, who stares out into the trees, a stoic expression on his face. Cyrus glances towards his hand, resting on the ground beside him.

"Lance?" He calls, his voice hardly a whisper. Lance's ears perk up and he locks eyes with Cyrus. Cyrus clenches his fist, "Can I... hold your hand?"

Lance's gaze soften at he notices the vulnerability in Cyrus's expression. Cyrus bites his quivering lip when he notices the hesitation, "Nevermind."

"You don't have to ask." Lance murmurs, extending a welcoming hand. Cyrus blinks, his heart skipping a beat as that bright smile greets him once more. He turns on his side, reaching for that big, warm hand. Lance holds his hand gently, turning to look back towards the trees. A breeze wafts through the cave, whipping around the flame.

Cyrus drifts into a peaceful sleep, admiring the hand that holds his own.