Instinct

Instinct!

Chapter 3

Isato left the room, not knowing that the black-haired wereteen entered the room. He wanted to know this new student and why he had come a few days late. Black eyes looked at the blond in the bed. He didn't move, studying him.

Jou's nose twitched as he caught the new scent, opening his eyes and glancing up somewhat sleepily. "Hm...?" He blinked in surprise at seeing the black-haired teen from before. "Oh...!"

Black eyes blinked. -He's got golden eyes, too. Strange.- "Hello. I'm Sal." He tilted his head to the side.

The blond swallowed nervously as he sat up, pushing a hand through his hair. "Jounouchi. Uh...something I can do for ya, Sal?"

"Just wanted to know why you are so late in joining us...?" Sal remained where he was, standing.

Jou bit his lip in thought. "Uh...I didn't know I was a werewolf until recently. I had to get away from a bad bunch and..some friends helped me and sent me here."

"So were ya bitten or born?" Sal asked curiously, though never getting his answer.

Isato came into the room and grabbed Sal by the collar. "Why are you in here, boy?" he snarled.

Black eyes looked up into emerald ones. "Just getting to know the new guy."

Isato glanced at Jou. "Is that true?"

Jou nodded. "He was just asking questions...." he replied. -Thank the gods...- he added mentally.

"Now, young one, I need to look after my student. Your sensei will be looking for you." He dropped the boy back down to his feet. Sal glanced at Jou, then left. "Are you sure you are okay?"

Jou nodded, rubbing his neck nervously. " 'M fine...he just asked questions...he was a bit...I don't know, I felt like I had to be on my guard..."

Isato smiled. "That's one of the lessons you'll be learning. As well."

"Great...but can't I learn it when I'm not trying t' sleep...?" he muttered, sighing.

"You silly pup. You have to be on guard most of the time. When you are with Seto, that's one of the few times you can let your guard down. Being that he loves you with his soul." Isato sat down on the bed and glanced at Jou.

Jou smiled, rubbing his eyes. "I love him, too. But I meant that Sal came in when I'd just gotten to sleep.."

"It seems Sal is the most curious of the group. He wants to know everyone and everything around him." Isato lay back on the bed. "Sleep, no one will bug us now." He closed his eyes.

"Hope so..." Jou flopped back once again, closing his eyes.

"Sleep well, then." Isato pulled the sheets up around himself.

Jou muttered some answer and fell back asleep, worn out from all the training.

A few days followed after. Sal seemed to keep his distance from Jou and Isato, but he kept watching the blond.

"Well, today we'll see how far you can change." Isato glanced at Jou.

Jou blinked, cringing slightly. "Changing? I...I don't know if I can..." he muttered uncertainly.

"It's hard at first, but it becomes easier with practice." He tapped his foot. "Just try."

Jou tucked a strand of hair behind his ear and closed his eyes, wondering how in the world he was supposed to change when he'd never had before. He bit his lip and tried to concentrate.

"First, listen to what's around you. Then tune out everything but your heartbeat. Let it all go. Start that way." Isato murmured, then waited.

The blond sighed a little impatiently and listened. He focused on the quietness of the surroundings, then became aware of the heartbeat in his ears, in his body. He focused on that and stilled.

"Feel your hairs to start to grow longer. Your back changing. Your hands turning into paws." Isato was ready to change as well, to keep an eye on the blond in case he did change.

Jou furrowed his brows and took a breath. He shivered as he focused on the words, his head dipping as he started to shift, not even realizing that he was.

Isato smirked as he watched the blond change. He wondered if Jou would go all the way.

Jou shifted more, his skin turning to fur and eyes glowing gold as he lifted his head, his hair rippling past his shoulders as he studied Isato.

"Good start." Isato smiled. "You being a pureblood, you might be able to go all the way. This, though, is a very good start for you."

Jou winced. "Hurts..." he growled out, his body not used to the change.

"That always happens the first few times. You're new at this. It takes time to get used to changing."

"How long does it take to get used to it?"

"The training helps. By the end of two months, you will not feel the pain. If you didn't train, it would take a year."

"A year...?! Ouch..."

"That's if you didn't train. With the training, it's about two months at most." He smiled. "Now, try to change back."

Jou nodded, closing his eyes again and taking another breath, the shifting back and forth seeming to come natural for him. Once human again, he crouched, resting his hand on the ground as he caught his breath.

"Well done. Now you can take a nap." He pointed to the cabin.

Jou winced as he glanced up. "Ugh...if I can make it..I'm beat..." He staggered to his feet, feeling a bit dizzy.

"Come on." Isato picked up Jou and carried him back to the cabin.

Jou leaned against him, feeling embarrassed for having to depend on him. "Sorry for being a trouble.." he mumbled softly.

"Don't worry. Everyone gets weak when they first start out." He entered the cabin and went upstairs to their room. "Here we are, sleep. You earned it." He placed the boy on his bed.

Jou nodded his thanks and tiredly curled up, falling asleep almost before his head hit the pillow.

Isato went to sleep, too, after a bit. Sal just watched the pair from the doorway. "Sleep well, Jou." He then left as quietly as he'd came.

Jou awoke later, sitting up as he yawned, feeling back to rights. His muscles twinged, but that was minor. He was hungry, that's all that counted to him.

"Sleep well?" Isato was sitting up in the bed.

Jou nodded, stretching. "Mm..the sleep helped, I feel much better than before. But now I'm starving..."

"That's why I've got the hamburger, here." He put the burger and fries in front of the boy. "Enjoy."

"Food! Real food!" Jou dived in, never having tasted something so good in his life. He gave a small moan of delight, enjoying his food to the fullest. "Thanks!"

"You earned it. Now, in an hour, we'll take another run through the woods."

Jou felt ready to bash his head in at that comment, but nodded. "Alright..."

Soon that hour went fast. "Come on, golden one, time for that run."

The blond bit back a groan of horror, and stood. "Now I know why I never took running in school...I hate it." he grumbled.

"You'll grow to love it. Especially when you run on all fours." They left the cabin, and soon Isato started to run through the woods. "Come on and run."

Jou sighed and raced after him, his agility kicking in as he kept up with Isato.

Isato suddenly changed into a half wolf and started to move ahead of the boy.

"Hey..!" Jou yelped in surprise. "No fair!"

Emerald eyes looked at the boy from behind red fur. "You can do it, so try it." He waited for the boy.

Jou bit his lip and pushed to change again, stumbling a bit as the change was jerky. "Ah..."

Isato moved, wrapping his arms around the boy. "Easy...take a deep breath..." His hands roamed the soft blond fur that had started to grow.

Jou shivered reflexively, then took that breath and concentrated, the change smoothing out to where he wanted it, taking a soft breath as he closed his eyes for a second.

The hands kept rubbing the blond fur. "Feeling better now?" Emerald eyes looked down into honey ones.

Jou flushed, suddenly feeling a bit awkward. "Uh...yeah...fine..."

"Good, time to run." Isato jumped up and started to run again.

Jou blinked, then darted after him, counting the odd sense as nothing more than nerves.

Isato jumped and leaped over the ground. He sniffed the air, and headed towards something he hoped would bring the boy's senses to full.

Jou cocked his head as Isato seemed to be heading toward something, but followed. -I wonder what's up now...-

Isato stopped and glanced at something, then waved the boy to come quietly to his side.

The blond blinked, then did as ordered, sliding quietly to his side, curiousity aroused now at the way he was acting.

A couple of deer were eating some young leaves off of a tree. Isato grinned at Jou. He wanted to see how the boy reacted now.

"Hungry, boy? Why not go to the next step..?" Isato then fully changed into a red wolf with emerald eyes.

Jou's eyes widened as he watched his change, then decided to try, glancing at the deer. He took a breath and closed his eyes, focusing. Soon before Isato sat a golden wolf, golden-amber eyes blinking at him.

~Do you hear me?~ Isato looked at the golden wolf intently.

A soft yelp left Jou's muzzle in surprise, eyes widening. ~I.....hear you...~

Isato winked at the golden wolf. ~This is just a run. We don't need to catch them.~ The red wolf jumped down the path towards the deer.

Jou blinked, then followed after him, his paws hitting the ground solidly as he loped quickly after Isato.

Isato leapt at one of the deer. They both took off, and the red wolf followed one of them.

Jou decided to test his mettle and followed the other, racing alongside it. His amber eyes glowed in exuberance. He'd never felt so free before in his life.

Isato jumped at the deer, thinking Jou was still with him. He missed. ~Jou?~ He looked around. ~Damn, he went after the other deer.~ He turned around and headed back to find the blond's scent.

Jou nipped at the other deer's heels playfully, but didn't attack, just enjoying the freedom of running like this. He stopped, panting slightly, watching the deer bound away. ~Hmm...that was fun!~

A black wolf abruptly jumped the golden wolf playfully. ~Hello, Jou!~

Jou yelped, nearly getting bowled over. ~Ah!! What the...?!~ He glanced up, his nose twitching. ~Oh! Sal, ne?~

Sal wagged his tail. ~Isn't this great?! Everything seems more alive like this..~ He bounced up and down.

Jou grinned a wolfish grin. ~Seems you're enjoying it. But you're right. Things are different in this form...~

Sal panted. ~You didn't answer my question last time. Were you born or bitten?~ Black eyes looked into honey-gold ones.

Jou flinched a little, not liking the subject. ~Born. My family have been weres for ages, I guess...~

Finally finding Jou's scent, Isato growled at the pair. ~Katsuya, get over here now!!!~

The black wolf backed away from the golden wolf. ~Why can't I be friends with him?~ The red wolf lowered his head.

~After the training, Sal. There is a reason, please trust me.~ The black wolf nodded and slowly left the other two alone.

Jou slunk to Istao's side. ~Are you mad at me...?~

~No. Sal is the one that has been coming close to you. Not the other way around.~ He turn to go. ~Come, back to the cabin, and your human form as well.~

Jou whimpered softly, his ears and tail drooping, feeling like he'd got in trouble before following after him, his form slowly sliding back to that of human.

Isato sighed as he became human again. "I know you feel bad, and you want to see Seto now...don't you?"

Jou nodded, glancing down at the ground.

"Two more weeks, and you'll see him again." He patted Jou's back. "Come on, you need some sleep."

Jou sighed, following. "Sorry for getting my nose into trouble...I didn't mean to, I was just enjoying the run..."

"It did feel good, didn't it?" He smiled.

The blond head bobbed enthusiastically. "It was great! It was like...I don't know...I can't even describe it.."

Isato helped Jou up. "Come on, bed for the golden one." He took him back inside the cabin and up the stairs.

Jou nodded, yawning. "It was great...but so exhausting. I feel like I could sleep forever..."

He patted the boy's back. "Just sleep. We'll do more tomorrow." He sat down on his own bed and soon fell asleep.

It took a while, but Jou finally managed to calm himself down, falling into an exhausted sleep, pulling up the blankets around him.

Isato just smiled to himself. -At least he's learning fast. I hope Seto will be happy with his new lover...when he comes back.- He yawned and went to sleep.

Jou awakened later, his stomach growling up a storm. He stretched and yawned. "Mm...must've been all the running..."

"Come on, pup, time to catch your meal today." Isato stood there at the door.

Jou blinked at him, caught in mid-stretch. "C-catch?"

"This is when we all hunt like a pack. All of us. Just one thing. Stay beside me, okay?" He waited for the blond to come over.

Jou lowered his arms and nodded sheepishly, getting out of bed and walking over to him.

"Good. Don't worry, I'll watch your back." Isato headed down the stairs.

"You always do...thanks for that..." he murmured as he followed him.

"That's why I'm here." Isato walked out of the cabin. The others were waiting for him. Sal glanced at Jou for a moment.

Jou blinked back at him, then followed Isato.

"Well, we all know what's going to happen today. So stay with your trainer, and nothing should go wrong." Isato looked at Jou, then glared at Sal. The boy looked away.

Jou was determined to not screw up again. He rubbed his neck nervously and did as was told.

"Are you ready, golden one?" Isato changed into a wolf and looked at the boy. Most of the others had started their own change.

Jou took a breath and closed his eyes, letting the rhythm of the change happen smoothly, shifting once again into the golden wolf.

~Just try to keep up with me.~ The red wolf headed off with the others.

Jou nodded his shaggy head and loped after him, swallowing nervously.

The pack of wolves entered the woods. The older ones sniffed the air and headed towards a dark part of the woods.

Jou followed Isato closely, sticking to his side like glue. He wasn't quite sure what would happen, but he knew that it had to be done.

~Still with us?~ Isato leaped over a dead tree. ~Soon, you will know how to hunt.~ The pack stopped just before a clearing, where a group of deer were eating.

Jou stopped at his side, glancing around. ~Now what?~

Sal remained at the other side of the pack. He wanted to know everything about Jou. He wanted to run with him, just for a little while. Isato looked at the deer, and then at Jou. ~We hunt.~ The pack circled the deer.

Jou followed Isato carefully, determined to not mess up or get in anyone's way, golden-amber eyes watching intently.

~Ready?~ The pack started towards the deer in a flash.

Jou swallowed and loped after them, keeping abreast of Isato, his footfalls falling quietly with the rest of the pack.

The deer broke up and the wolves followed a pair that flew into the woods.

'Don't let me screw up, don't let me screw up, don't let me screw up...' was the only mantra in Jou's head as he followed after the pack.

~Now, golden one, follow my lead.~ Isato jumped at the deer. He sank his teeth into the leg, but the deer kicked, and he was thrown back.

Jou darted to the side and attempted to copy him, leaping at the deer and sinking his teeth higher into the hip, gripping on with fangs and claws.

Sal joined Jou and bit down on the neck. The deer came crashing down, but it fell down a cliff, pulling both young weres down with it.

~JOU!!!~ Isato mentally cried out in shock.